Awards Venue
Ardree, Waterford
Champion Rider: J.A. Berry (34 winners)
Champion Lady: Rosemary Stewart, Carmel Connaughton
Champion Novice (7lb claimers): I. Buchanan
Ulster Champion: P.F. Graffin
Munster Champion: P.J. Healy
Leinster Champion: J.A. Berry
Connaught Champion: T.S. Costello
Champion Senior (OVER 33): J. Queally
Personality of the Year: Timmy O’Callaghan
Leading Sire: Proverb
RIDERS TABLE
34 J.A.Berry
31 T.S.Costello
26 P.J.Healy
18 P.F.Graffin, A.J.Martin
13 E.Bolger, I.Buchanan
12 P.Fenton, M.Kelleher, J.Queally
11 J.F.Sleator
9 J.A.Flynn, P.Larkin, T.Lombard
8 R.Hurley, D.M.O’Brien
7 M.Phillips, R.J.Patton, M.Phelan
6 L.P.Cusack, P.M.Kelly.
5 E.M.Byrne, N.Dee, G.Mulcaire, W.P.Mullins, N.Williamson.
4 Carmel Connaughton, D.P.Costello, J.F.Gleeson, D.Hickey, R.Kehoe, L.Lennon, C.McBratney,
M.McNulty, T.O’Callaghan, M.Murphy, Rosemary Stewart, R.Tyner
3 D.Atkinson, J.R.Banahan, P.Bohan, M.Condon, J.P.Durkan, W.J.Gleeson, M.J.Holbrook, D.W.McAuley,
G.Martin, R.Martin, J.O’Callaghan, R.Steele
2 R.Arthurs, J.Baragry, T.M.Bergin, W.J.Burke, A.D.Evans, B.R.Hamilton, P.G.Kelly, C.Larkin, J.Leahy,
B.McCarthy, T.P.McCarthy, D.Moore, S.H.O’Donovan, A.O’Gorman, M.O’Keeffe, W.M.O’Sullivan, P.Synott,
M.E.J.Walsh, N.Wilson
1 Juliet Arthur, J.P.Banahan, Suzy Barkley, M.Brassil, R.S.Carmichael, H.Cleary, B.M.Clifford, Kay Clinton,
B.Conerney, J.J.Costello, G.Cromwell, P.Crowe, J.P.Dempsey, C.Dore, M.Doyle, T.Doyle, P.J.Dreeling,
P.Dunphy, J.English, G.Farrell, J.Finegan, Susan Finn, G.Fitzgerald, D.P.Geoghan, C.Gibbons, M.J.Gilhooly,
D.Hassett, Deirdre Hogan, D.Keenaghan, E.Larkin, P.Lenihan, Donal Lordan, G.T.Lynch, J.Lynch, J.J.Mangan,
K.McAuliffe, O.McDonnell, F.McGillion, C.McGovern, Caroline Meneelly, M.Moore, G.Moran, T.Mullins,
D.G.Murphy, J.Nash, J.Neville, P.E.I.Newell, W.T.O’Donnell, Tricia O’Hanlon, E.M.O’Sullivan, G.O’Sullivan,
J.Redmond, G.Stewart, P.F.Sullivan, J.Turner, P.J.Tynan, D.Valentine, J.Walsh, R.Walsh, J.Wheeler
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. Arthur - (Former Northern Rider with Ian Ferguson)
J.P. Banahan - (Former professional. Winner of GPT handicap at Galway on Athy Spirit)
Suzy Barkley - (Strabane Trainer)
Susan Finn - (Balingarry professional)
M.J. Holbrook - (Former Oulart professional)
P. Lenihan - (Kilmacthomas Trainer)
J.A. Nash - (Kildare amateur. Top track amateur. Rider of many top horses in bumpers while with Dermot Weld
and Willie Mullins including Florida Pearl)
P.E.I. Newell - (Veteran Drumree rider)
G. Stewart - (Northern trainer of top young prospects including Bindaree)
D. Valentine - (Former amateur with M.J.P.O’Brien riding Shawiya & Vanton amongst others. Won Champion
Hunter Chase on Cool It A Bit in 1991 day after the pair took the Bishopscourt Cup)
SUMMARY
• John Berry wins the title for the first time. The Wexford rider had been dominating the Eastern circuit since 1986 and had now an overall award to his name. Three winners was all that separated him from Tom Costello at the finish 34-31 the final score.
• The 34 winners does not do justice however to the run of wins Berry achieved in three Sundays on his own Wexford circuit. Fourteen winners in total. However the highlight undoubtedly riding through the card on the 27th March in Caim.
• Balingale, Menesheen, Ochekobee, Try A Scotch, Rather Curious & Golden Lucy aided Berry into the record books in riding all six winners on the one card. It was by no means a weak meeting with no less than 22 mares lining up for the opening maiden & eighteen in the following four & five year old maiden. While other riders on the day included A.J.Martin, P.M.Kelly, A.P.O’Brien, A.D.Evans etc.
• Ironically the next rider to ride 6 winners in a day was Adrian Maguire and in doing so all but sunk Berrys chance of the 1991 title but on that day there were seven winners.
• John’s Uncle M Berry came close to the feat riding the first four winners on a five race card in Lingstown on the 27th March 1967 however he could only finish 3rd in the last race.
• Rosemary Stewart and Carmel Connaughton divided the ladies title with four winners each. This was the third title in a row for Stewart
• John Queally took the seniors award for the first time courtesy of his 12 winners.
• Nicky Dee partnered Attitude Adjuster in the Foxhunters to finish 6th.
• Tom Costello had better fortune across the water taking the National Hunt Chase on Over The Road for John Upson and Terry Casey. Costello also took his 5th Connaught in 1988
• 1987 Ladies Cup winner Howyanow takes the Champion Hunter Chase at Punchestown by five lengths under Enda Bolger
• P F Lehane and L P Cusack combine to take the Jospeh O’Reilly by twenty lengths from More Action under Roger Hurley in the P P Hogan colours.
• Timmy O’Callaghan took the 1988 Personality of the Year award. Timmy rode 174 winners between the flags from 1969 -93 and is one of the very few riders to have ridden winners in four different decades
• Pat Healy took the Munster title. He had been a big player in the overall award until Berry hit form and Tom Costello got going late to deny him the runner up position.
• Paddy Graffin came out on top in the Ulster Award beating Ian Buchanan who took the Novice title
