Kilkenny’s Vincent Byrne is the 2014 Showjumping Ireland National Grand Prix league champion, following a runner-up placing in the final round of the series at Barnadown in Co Wexford.
Byrne had led the Horseware/TRM sponsored series for much of the year, before being overtaken in recent weeks by Co Meath’s Alexander Butler.
Butler had gone on an incredible run of results which saw him collect 30 points over the last four rounds of the league, however this run came to an end in the final round at Barnadown, where with points and a half on offer, Vincent Byrne steered the stallion Hannibal V Overis Z to a second place finish, while Alexander Butler failed to finish in the top 10.
Victory in the final leg of the series went to Co Tyrone’s Peter Smyth with Victoria Rose while Galway’s Thomas O Brien took third place with Amaretto.
Alexander Butler finished as National Grand Prix League runner-up, while newly crowned Irish National show jumping champion Greg Broderick, who had won the National Grand Prix league in 2012 and 2013, finished third in the final standings.
The James Weldon owned ten year-old stallion Mr Rockefeller was crowned Horseware/TRM National Grand Prix League leading horse, the son of VDL Douglas who is out of a Kings Servant dam, scored an impressive five Grand Prix wins with Vincent Byrne during the season.
Result – Horseware/TRM National Grand Prix League – Barnadown Co Wexford 06/09/2014
1. Peter Smyth/Victoria Rose 0/0 42.82
2. Vincent Byrne/Hannibal V Overis Z 0/0 45.26
3. Thomas O Brien/Amaretto 0/0 45.30
4. Francis Connors/Hyperion 0/0 46.21
5. Darryl Walker/Cushions 0/0 46.89
6. Ger O’Neill/ Isacorada 0/4 45.19
7. Cormac Hanley/Captains Magic Touch 0/4 48.69
8. Greg Broderick/Rincoola Black Adder 0/8 45.79
9. Capt Michael Kelly/Mullentine Loughgall 0/8 47.00
10. Michael Hutchinson/HHS Fafa 0/8 50.28
2014 Horseware/TRM National Grand Prix League Champion – Vincent Byrne
Runner-Up Alexander Butler
2014 Horseware/TRM National Grand Prix League Leading Horse – Mr Rockefeller. Owner James Weldon, Rider Vincent Byrne