Shows and News.
27/2/2023
A busy start to 2023.
The competition season returned in January with a bang and we have had riders out every weekend since mid January.
Congratulations to all our Dressage riders who have gained qualifying scores for the National Winter Finals.
Ribbons and great scores too for the online competitors, from first tests to achieving goals at higher levels than before, its been a fantastic start to the year.
21/11/2022
National Champion
Sinead McGrath and the 4yr old homebred Ballyj Ed were worthy champions in the Dressage Ireland Horse Sport Ireland Final held yesterday in Greenouge in Dublin.
Winning the 4yr old class with a score of 78.4%, a massive 2.4% ahead of their nearest competitiors, Sinead and Ballyj Ed saw off a very hot field of horses to claim the title. Sinead rode the young gelding with finesse and expertise, and a harmonious flowing test was the result, showing this beautiful young horse off to his true potential.
This young gelding was the National Champion of the Eventing Ireland Discovery Series in Millstreet earlier in the year.
He has shown his class, adaptability and wonderful trainability to win both National titles. Carefully developed under the guidance of Sinead and Fintan this star is one to watch.
Interview with National Champion Rebecca by Grassroots Gazette
An interview with Rising Star Rebecca McGrath
National Champion for the 2nd year in a row!
September 24th 2022
Rebecca McGrath and her young mare Terbofens Queen Two were crowned National u21 Novice Champions at the Dressage Ireland National Championships in Barnadown Co. Wexford this weekend. Rebecca scored 70% on day one securing the win, and 3rd place on day two, but her overall scores were so high she claimed the title with ease. Rebecca was also part of the u25 Regional team for Midlands and Western, and so brought two National Titles home with her to Ballinrobe.
This is Rebeccas 2nd time winning the novice title, as last year she won with her other pony Tickerleven Sunrise.
Trained by her mother Sinead who also competed herself in the higher levels securing top 6 places both days, its been a successful family trip to the Nationals.
Two other young riders also travelled, Emma Golden and Cathal Owens. Both competed in the Trailblazers Section where Cathal placed 7th and Emma 9th. Fantastic results for these two young riders.
29th August 2022
Ballyj Ed Winner of the 4 yr old National Eventing Discovery Final at Milstreet this weekend Aug 27 &28th.
This homebred and produced gelding is a real family horse. Ed was broken by Fintan, competed at dressage by Sinead, competed at an ODE with their daughter Rebecca, and went on to win in Millstreet ridden by their nephew Godfrey Gibbons
Ballyj Ed secured his qualification spot in Saturdays competition out of a field of 28 entries, with a lovely clear round and next day gave a flawless exhibition of jumping, one of the few to go clear, to claim the champions spot on Sunday.
This super talented horse is by Black Hero (ID) out of a TB mare called Memories of Emily.
July 30th 2022
What a wonderful week it has been at Ballyjennings.
Rebecca and her wonderful young mare claimed a top ten placing in a hot and very large class at the recent Irish Pony Club National Festival in Barnadown on July 28th 2022. The pair scoring over 70% against riders much older with a beautiful test, and showing just how much they have developed their new partnership. Cathal Owens also had a successful day out claiming 9th place in the Novice Combined Training class with his Ballyjennings bred mare a Whole Lotta Rosie. Well done to both riders.
The wonderful news came in that the Ballyjennings bred mare Ballyj Elsa had brought the titles of “Breeder of the Leading Dressage Horse” “Owner of the leading dressage mare” and Breeder of the Leading TIH” titles from the Irish Horse Breeders back to her owners and breeder Fintan McGrath. Competed by his wife Sinead this talented mare has had a stellar year, and she is only half ways through it yet!
What a wonderful week we have had.
The weekend of July 9th and 10th saw three riders head to the NI Summer Championships in Necarne, Irvinestown.
Sinead Mc Grath and her Mermus R gelding Killard Precision claimed 1st place in the Adv Medium class with a beautiful test.
Rebecca Mc Grath and her young mare Terbofens Queen Two, claimed first place on both Saturday and Sunday in her Novice Test and took the overall 3rd place in the Championship.
Cathal Owens and his Ballyjennings bred Whole Lotta Rosie took 2nd place on Saturday and Sunday in the Trailblazers Preliminary, and 2nd overall in the Trailblazers Championship.
Well done to all riders.
On Tuesday 5th July the Ballyjennings Branch of the Pony Club went to the Area Qualifiers and won rosettes in all their classes
Rebecca Mc Grath – Winner Pure Dressage and qualified for Pony Club Nationals Festival
Cathal Owens – Winner Novice Combined Training and qualified for Pony Club National Festivals.
Katie Owens – Winner u10’s Dressage
Rhona Tansey – 2nd place u10’s Dressage & double clear showjumping
Emma Golden – 4th place u12’s Dressage and great round showjumping
Sarah Fox – 4 faults and clear in her first 70 cm showjumping round
Rebecca wins a Martin Sheridan Bursary Award.
Rebecca Mc Grath was presented with one of the Martin Sheridan Bursary Awards in Bohola on Tuesday 28th of June 2022.
Awarded annually to athletes of an exceptional standard in their sport, Rebecca was chosen as one of 3 winners this year, for her achievements to date in her discipline of Dressage, which include National Champion, member of the National Youth High Performance Development Squad with both her ponies, and plans for international trips this year, to mention but a few. Rebecca is a rising star and one whos future is bright. The bursary aims to help with the costs involved with training and travel.
Thanks to the selectors and committee of the Martin Sheridan Bursary for the wonderful opportunity this presents Rebecca.
Congratulations to Cathal Owens on his recent double win at a Dressage Ireland Show in Pallasgreen on June 19th. Cathal and his Ballyjennings bred ISH Whole Lotta Rosie scored over 67% to secure the class.
Our young riders travelled to Claremorris EC to participate in the ODE run on the 8th of May. Sarah Fox and Ted claimed 1st in the 60cm ODE with Aoibhe Cummins and Anny 5th. Emma Golden and Bobby had a fantastic first day out. In the 70/75cm ODE it was Cathal Owens and Rosie claiming 3rd with Rebecca McGrath and Ed claiming 4th. Well done to all riders, we are proud of how well you all rode. Congratulations.
Champions!!
Sinead McGrath and her gelding Killard Precision were crowned Champions at the recent Dressage Ireland, Wild Atlantic Dressage Festival over the May Bank Holiday.
The pair claimed the Champion title with wins in the Medium class on both Saturday and Sunday judged by List 1 judges from the UK and saw off competition from all over Ireland.
Sinead also took the homebred 4 yr old Ballyj Ed to the two day festival, and the exciting youngster won his class on day 2 and claimed 3rd place in the Preliminary Championship. Backed by her husband Fintan McGrath the horse has been carefully brought on and has a very bright future ahead of him.
Ribbons all around for Ballyjennings riders at the recent Dressage Ireland National Winter Finals in Necarne.
Rebecca brought her young mare Trebofens Queen Two to her first experience of a national event. The pair won their class the first day, and second on the final day saw her take overall title reserve champion at Preliminary level. Sinead with her homebred mare BallyjElsa were again in the ribbons with a third place on Sunday at Elementary level. Young riders Aoibhe Cummins and Emma Golden competed at their first National competition in the Trailblazer section with Aoibhe Cummins claiming 3rd place and Emma Golden 6th. Sinead Heffernan and Rocky rode lovely accurate tests in a very hot Novice section
A fantastic weekend of achieving riding goals, the extra excitement of ribbons and a lot of laughs were had.
Well 2022 has started with a bang!
Rebecca Mc Grath claimed the 70cm pony club CT champion crown at the recent league run by Tynagh. Aoibhe Cummins claimed the 60 cm crown and we had riders placed as reserve champions and placed in all categories competed in! Super results from a hardworking and fun bunch of young riders Sinead Mc Grath is the main instructor of choice for the children in the Ballyjennings Branch of the Pony Club.
The Ballyjennings Riders young and not so young alike then competed in serveral Dressage Ireland Shows, lots of wins, places, goals achieved and super high scores!
The well known Irish Field has featured the highest scoring combinations in its reports and our riders have had a regular mention over the last few weeks! Lovely to see these riders in print, and with a full year yet to come we may well need a bigger scrapbook to put them all in.
We finished off 2021 looking back at a flurry of rosettes, first shows, first wins, personal bests and a National Champion to add to the list!
To each and every competitor who went out there, we are proud of your achievements. We hope that the year to come brings as much fun, success and enjoyment as the one that passed.
Happy New Year.
Homebred Ballyj Elsa qualified for National Development Series Final.
Travelling to Tipperary EC, the young 6yr old mare ridden by Sinead McGrath produced a wonderful test to claim her qualifiying place in the final on Dec 11th, placing second in a very hot class. The talented duo then entered another qualifier on November 14th claiming another top three placing in the 6 Yr Old Elementary with a super score of over 70%. They also claimed 2nd place in the open Elementary Championship class with a score of over 71%.
Best of luck to this wonderful partnership for the final on Dec 11th in Greenogue.
National Champion.
Rebecca McGrath riding her mare Tickerlevan Sunrise claimed the Dressage Ireland Novice Junior Category 2 Championship in Barnadown over the weekend 24-26th of September 2021.
A fantanstic achievement for a hardworking young rider, who is trained by Sinead, seen in the picture above being presented with her prize by Joe Reynolds Horse Sport Ireland Chairperson.
Sinead also had the homebred Ballyj Elsa competing and this pair placed in the ribbons in all their classes and took the a podium place on the last evening with a 3rd place in the Elementary Freestyle.