Awards Venue:
West County Ennis
Champion Rider: D.N. Russell (19 winners)
Champion Lady: Caroline Hutchinson
Champion Novice (Under 21): P. Tobin
Northern Champion: L.J. Gracey
Southern Champion: D.N. Russell
Eastern Champion: G. Elliott
Western Champion: D.N. Russell
Horse of the Year: Sheltering
Champion Senior (OVER 33): L.J. Gracey
Personality of the Year: Margie McLoone
RIDERS TABLE
19 D.N. Russell
10 E. Gallagher
9 J.T. McNamara
7 B. Moran, D. Murphy
5 G. Elliott, L.J.Gracey
4 J.T. Carroll, D.W. Cullen, S.S. McHugh, A. McNamara, E.J. O’Grady, J.G. Sheahan.
3 P.Cashman, P.Cloke, W.Ewing, B.R.Hamilton, J.D.Moore, B.O’Sullivan,C.J.Swords,
P.Tobin.
2 W.F.Codd, A.G.Costello, J.J.Dullea, P.Fenton, A.Fitzgerald, A.Fleming, Caroline Hutchinson, T.P.Hyde,
N.C.Kelleher, S.McCullagh, J.O’McGrath, J.A.Quinn, D.Whelan.
1 N.Boggan, J.A.Boland, D.Broad, P.Buchanan, E.Byrne, M.A.Cahill, J.A.Collins, C.J.Cosgrave, D.P.Costello, G.Crowley, P.Crowley, S.Curling, V.P.Deveraux, Liz Doyle, P.O.Duffy, T.J.Furlong, N.Geraghty, M.D.Grant, R.O.Harding, B.Hassett, M.J.Henry, B.M.Jones, R.F.Lavery, L.Lennon, T.Lombard, A.J.Martin, C.P.McGivern, C.A.Murphy, P.G.Murphy, C.D.O’Brien, J.V.O’Brien, D.N.O’Donovan, J.B.O’Gorman, M.J.O’Hare, G.J.Power, R.P.Quinlan, D.Skehan, A.Stronge, B.Valentine.
Some of the newcomers of note to the List (Riders who make their first appearance to the list. In most cases this is their first winners but not all)
R.O.Harding - (Cork amateur based with Michael Hourigan. Brother of English based professional Brian)
R.P.Quinlan - (Amateur based with Edward O Grady)
SUMMARY
- This year will unfortunately always go down as the ‘Foot and Mouth’ season when pointing and most other sports were brought to a standstill in the Governments successful attempt to keep the country free from the outbreak. Sunday February 25th saw the premature end of the season but if the saying with regard to an ill wind is to be believed then the birth of a new Autumn season was the benefit from this loss and it has been carried on since with much success. Michael O’Donoghue kept the spirits within the sport high by ensuring that an awards night would take place to recognize those who lead at the time of the season finishing.
- Davy Russell had already taken nineteen winners and could have given John Thomas McNamara’s record of the previous season a rattle with this impressive early score.
- Leo Gracey doubled up with success in the Senior and Northern category which often go hand in hand courtesy of a good association with the George Stewart horses in the North.
- The champion Hunter Chase was run at Fairyhouse where the season’s top horse Sheltering easily accounted for Spotthedifference under Philip Fenton. A little over a week later Polaris Flame went on to take the Joseph O’Reilly under Peter Buchanan for trainer Denise ‘sneezy’ Foster.
- The personality of the year award was presented to Margie McLoone who is the backbone of the Irish Field who along with sponsoring the leading rider each year provide the only weekly source of news/entries & results across the country for the sport.
- With the season over before March no four year olds were seen but the graduates from this season were still a top class bunch.
- The ill fated Tuco who was never beaten on a completed start being possibly as impressive as any.
- Beef Or Salmon tore apart a Clonmel field to score under Davy Russell on his second outing having been unlucky first time out.
- Keen Leader scored under James Sheahan also after having his debut having come up against a very decent maiden on his opening outing.
- Ballyhampshire Boy was also in attendance on the opening day at Dromahane where Noble Justice came out on top while Nearly A Moose was another graduate
- Ad in Moss Bawn, Bellaney Lady, Druids Glen, Over Anxious and Gunther McBride and the two month season produced as much quality as any other would produce in five months.
