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Connacht Showjumpers Claim Olympic Saddlery Grand Prix

While Mayo GAA fans were thrilled and holding their respective breaths waiting for the final whistle in Mayo's game against Cork yesterday, Mayo fans of Gabriel Slattery (Irishtown),Stephen Egan (Ballina) and Shane Goggins (Claremorris) were doing the same thing in Claregalway as the final leg of the Olympic Saddlery Connaught Grand Prix League drew to its close at Duffy's Equestrian Centre.  Fifty-seven riders and horses took part in this leg which was sponsored by Justin Burke of Galway Bay Stud and called the Peter Pan Grand Prix after the stud's famous stallion.  Just fifteen emerged faultless after the first round over Brendan Duffy's exacting course, and when the fences were raised for the jump-off against the clock things got really exciting.  Some had a fence down and some had two, but the valiant Mayo boys were among those who were faultless, and to make it even better Stephen Egan won riding Kieran Rowley's Le Crunch in 45.99 seconds, Gabriel Slattery was second on John Byrne's Captain's Magic Touch (47.2) and Shane Goggins finished third on his father P J Goggins's Black Velvet Touch (48.28).  Special mention and congratulations must be given to Stephen Egan who won three of the eleven legs of this league.  Along with yesterday's win, he won in Tubberbride with Kieran Rowley's stallion  Le One and in Ballina with Le Crunch. He's a real local hero!

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