It was well worth the journey from Galway to Mullingar Equestrian for Jessica Burke on Sunday last, as she recorded her first win in the Connolly’s Red Mills Spring Tour last Sunday, riding Clonguish Vivaro.

The pairing was one of five double clears and finished with a time of 41.54 seconds.

Burke, who works part-time as a secondary school teacher, is a prolific winner in show jumping arenas and currently has 15 horses in training for this season.

She got a taste for producing horses while working with Marie Burke at Clare Equestrian Centre and has gone on to have much success with young horses.

Her most notable successes include winning two young horse titles at last year’s Dublin Horse Show, the four-year-old and six-year-old finals, and competing with two horses at the World Breeding Championships that same year.

Bred and owned by Bernard and Josephine Jordan from Longford, Clonguish Vivaro is a nine-year-old gelding by Vivaldo Van Het Costersveild, out of the Tanaos-sired dam Clonguish Gold. The Jordans have had much success with the dam, Clonguish Gold, with seven offspring registered from her.

Their choice of stallions include Womanizer, Camillo VDL, Lancelot, O.B.O.S Quality 004 and Tyson.

BURKE’S COMMENTS

Burke took over the ride on the gelding from Gabriel Slattery last year and has clocked up some impressive results. Under her command the pairing won the Munster Grand Prix in Maryville and an international class at Cavan and Millstreet.

Delighted with the win, Burke said: “I am very happy with the win as it was only his third outing this year. It was a good start for him and the plan is to compete in the final at Coilog and then start campaigning in the National Grand Prix’s. He is a horse that really likes to win and I have high hopes for him.”

Regarding the course, she added: “It was a fairly built course, but at the same time it was quite technical. I looked at Louis Delplace’s round and the plan was to take a similar line to him. I got a good shot to the double and I think I made up the time in the gallop to the last.”

HADLEY IN GOOD FORM

Following a great week at Millstreet, having won two international Grand Prix’s, Sven Hadley featured in this lineup, taking second place. Last to go aboard Sumas Taloubet, he delivered a foot-perfect performance in 43.10. This was an important result for the reigning Spring Tour Champion, as he now occupies pole position on the leaderboard on 46 points. His closest rival is Frank Curran, who has accumulated 30 points. The league will conclude this weekend with a double bill at Warrington on Saturday and the final at Coilog on Sunday.

First to go with Lowhill Showdown, Louis Delplace had the difficult task of setting the pace in the 12-way jump-off. Delplace didn’t disappoint as he crossed the line clear in 43.54, which later saw him take third. Bred by Shane Walsh from Laois, Lowhill Showdown is an 11-year-old by Carrick Diamond Lad, out of the Touchdown-sired sam Lowhill Cruisedown.

Galway rider, Joseph O’Brien also delivered a clear with Legaland Lux Breaker, but in a slower time of 43.90, for eventual fourth. Bred by Joe Reilly from Cavan, Legaland Lux Breaker is an eight-year-old gelding by Lux Z out of the Heartbreaker-sired dam DY Oblesse.

Nicholas Butler also put his first points on the board, when he delivered a clear with Vimminka in 45.02.

Declan McEvoy kept all the poles in the cups with the Irish Sport Horse BLM Cosmopolitan Dandy (Kannan x BM Barbie Doll), but a single time fault saw them occupy sixth place in the lineup.