(Barry O'Neill accepting his award from Niamh Doyle, HRI)
HRI Eastern Award - Barry O’Neill
The HRI Eastern region has been dominated by Jamie Codd having won this award for the past 11 years. John Berry another Wexford native previously held the record with nine consecutive titles from 1986-1994.
25 meetings took place in the Eastern region this season starting with Castletown-Geoghegan in October and finishing with Oldcastle in May.
Barry O’Neill was runner-up in this region for the past five years behind Jamie Codd before securing his first success in the region last season.
Entering the weekend of the 20th May at Oldcastle, O’Neill held an eight winner advantage over Rob James, and went on to ride a treble on the day which saw him finish up on 27 winners in the region.
Rob James enjoyed his best ever season in the region finishing up in second on 17 winners, with the side-lined Jamie Codd in third on 15 winners.
O’Neill rode a treble at Tinahely on the second weekend of the season which saw him go into the leading position and he then remained in front for the rest of the season in the Eastern region where he also rode a treble at Oldcastle, Monskgrange and Borris as well as four doubles at Bellurgan Park, Ballinaboola, Castletown-Geoghegan and Lingstown.
Colin Bowe was his best supporter having provided him with 14 winners in the Eastern region.
HRI Northern Award – Barry O’Neill
Barry O’Neill claimed his first HRI Northern Title this season with 16 winner’s having finished second the previous two years.
In winning both the Northern and Eastern titles, O’Neill follows Tony Martin and Jamie Codd who both achieved the same result in 1995 and in 2011 and 2014.
O’Neill rode his first winner in the northern region at Portrush where he had a double and ended the northern season with a winner at the same fixture.
His best support came from David Christie who provided him with six winners and Colin Bowe who gave him four winners.
He finished four winners clear of Jamie Codd (12) and Mark O’Hare (12).
