Hadley lands a Spring Tour hat-trick

It was a well worthwhile journey from Galway to Kildare for Sven Hadley last Sunday as he took the opening round of the Connolly’s Red Mills, Showjumpers’ Club Spring Tour at JAG Equestrian.

Riding Hadley Sporthorses’ Sumas Taloubet, he took the winner’s share of the €2,000 in the host-sponsored class. Hadley, who had just returned from a tour of duty in Belgium, dominated the classes on the day, also taking the 1.10m with Nicolas Canavan’s Clover Falcon and the 1.20m with Why Not Fado.

Sumas Taloubet is a 12-year-old by Taloubet Vdl out of Pride of Shaunlara. The gelding has been with Hadley since last summer and has been successful at home and abroad up to Grand Prix level. Under Hanley’s command, he delivered an excellent performance at Kronenberg CSI** last month when taking the win in the 1.40m accumulator.

Hadley said: “We are just back from Belgium where we had a very good show with all horses performing well. I was pleased with how the horses jumped today, in particular Clover Flacon who showed a lot of scope. Tom Holden (course designer) did a very good job as always and with tough weather conditions, the facility coped very well. Although the track wasn’t too big, it was a very competitive class. I had a close eye on Liam O’Meara as he is always one to watch in the jump-off. Hopefully I will do more rounds of the Tour but it’s hard to say how many at this early stage of the season.”

International course designer Tom Holden set a fitting course for the first round. Of the 48 starters, 12 proceeded to the timed round. The competition was intense with only fractions of a second dividing the top three finishers. In the jump-off, time could be made up in the turn back to the double and then back to an oxer. For those with a win in mind, a tight line from the penultimate vertical to the oxer was a necessary manoeuvre.

Joseph O’Brien set the pace early when he delivered a clear round aboard CV Santandu in a time of 36.97 which would later prove good enough for sixth.

Double handed in the jump-off, Hadley got his first look at the course with Quanbell. Opting for slightly longer lines paid dividends as he lodged a clear but their time of 38.45 later proved good enough for seventh place.

The target was reduced into the 35-second zone when Galway rider Damien Griffin, riding Tabby, used his late draw to his advantage to deliver a clear in 35.57, which saw him provisionally take the lead and then eventual second.

As expected, the reigning champion Liam O’Meara was a hot favourite and with three in the jump-off, he maximised his chances. Riding Kenny’s Flight, he put in a strong challenge when clocking 36.65 seconds, which saw him temporarily slot into second place and later drop down to fifth place.

Next up and a speed merchant against the clock, Sven Hadley took off in a blistering pace with Sumas Taloubet. Throwing caution to the wind, along with a series of good turns saw him up on target at the midway point. A daring turn from the penultimate vertical to the last oxer almost cost him the class as the poles rattled, but with everything staying in place, a clear in 35.19 seconds was enough to take the win.

Jennifer Kuehnle had her foot to the floor with the Morningside Stud’s stallion Ballistic. A series of good turns saw the 15-year-old rider cross the line clear in 35.67 for eventual third. The placing meant that she also took the prize of leading young rider of the round.

All eyes were on O’Meara as he returned with Curraghgraigue Jack Take Flight. Although the Tipperary rider better his earlier time when clocking 36.27 seconds, it proved only good enough for eventual fourth place.

Vickie Anderson opted for a safe options with Zack and although all the poles stayed in place, two time faults when crossing the line in 46.17 seconds meant an eighth place finish for the County Laois rider. Highest place of the pro-am riders however she took home the prize of a Botanica Hamper. Anderson, who produced the horse from a six-year-old, hopes to continue contest the remainder of the series.

SPRING TOUR LEG 1 - TOP EIGHT

1. Sumas Taloubet Sven Hadley Hadley Sport Horses 0/0 35.19

2. Tabby Damien Griffin Pamela Donaghey 0/0 35.57

3. Ballistic Jennifer Kuehnle Hans Jurgen Kuehnle 0/0/35.67

4. Curraghgraigue Jack Take Flight Liam O’Meara Helen Sheridan 0/0 36.27

5. Kenny’s Flight Liam O’Meara Liam O’Meara 0/0 36.65

6. CV Santandu Joseph O’Brien Kenneth Feeny 0/0 36.97