By David Abbott
A dream came through for Leonard Reamsbottom last Sunday when the Coole Lane rider won the Advanced Intermediate championship after a 10-way jump-off at the AIRC championship.
The Fenagh resident took victory on his 14-year-old bay ISH mare, Lightening Spirit, who produced a stunning time of 27.29 with all fences intact.
This gave the Coole Lane member an incredible winning margin of almost 12 seconds over his nearest rival.
Brendan Dolan was next best with a clear round on the six-year-old Roscrib Harry in a time of 38.99 to bring the blue ribbon home to Sligo with Mosstown’s Aine McLoughlin (March Thunderball) in third place with another clear in 40.58.
Reamsbottom who previously won the Advanced Intermediate show jumping at the AIRC Riding Clubs Festival in 2018 and also two hunter trials titles in 2015 and 2017 said afterwards, “my mare is one in a million, and winning this championship was one of our proudest moments to date.”.
“My mare jumped two amazing clear rounds to qualify us for the jump-off and I knew we would have to be on top of our game in the jump-off as we had some serious competition. “
“Lightening Spirit lived up to her name, delivering a blistering quick and clear round to clinch the title, and as they say dreams do come true,” he added.
