WITH the earlier interruptions to the season, most owners and handlers are still hoping that they have winners galore on their hands and are just waiting for them to prove themselves between the flags.

Some, however, may have already decided that their charges are not going to win a point-to-point and looking for opportunities outside racing. While there has been much interest in racehorse to riding horse classes in recent years, a dedicated performance competition for thoroughbreds is being staged this season in the Stepping Stones to Success League organised by Wexford’s Orla Roche and her husband Pat Peare.

The couple own the impressive complex Wexford Equestrian which is nearly within a stone’s throw of the Killinick Harriers’ popular point-to-point venue at Lingstown.

For the past few years, Roche and Peare have run a league for four and five-year-old potential event horses at their centre but this season, in a bid to attract more entries from owners and riders in Munster and Northern Ireland, they are holding qualifiers at Millstreet (Tuesday, March 29th) and Lusk Equestrian near Lisburn (Wednesday, April 27th).

At both of these, and at the qualifiers in Wexford Equestrian on the first three Tuesdays of April, a special class is scheduled for thoroughbred horses of any age who have raced (including in point-to-points) or are unraced.

While they can have competed in showing classes, they must not have started in any competitions affiliated to Eventing Ireland, Show Jumping Ireland or Dressage Ireland nor can they take part in the league if they have competed in unaffiliated events for more than one season.

A rug for the winner and rosettes for first to third at each qualifier will be presented by the new IHWT (Irish Horse Welfare Trust) Thoroughbred Club which will also sponsor the final at Wexford Equestrian on Tuesday, May 3rd. Thanks to a generous supporter, the club will be sponsoring the prize-fund at the final to the tune of €1,500.

Followers of racing, Roche and Peare were encouraged to run this new class after last year’s Stepping Stones to Success League when one qualifier was won by William Codd’s Moon On The River.

The well-known local trainer was quick to move the 2010 Arcadio gelding from the point-to-point sphere into the competition arena. Third on his debut at Tattersalls in October 2014 after which he finished second at Borris House less than two months later, the bay disappointed when the spring campaign commenced at Dromahane, finishing sixth, and then pulled up on his fourth and final start at Killagh on January 18th last year.

In March, having been well schooled by Louise Codd, and hunter-trialled by William himself, Moon On The River made his first appearance in the league, winning on his third start.

The first foal out of the Mister Mat mare Dream Believer, winner of two-point-points, he was consigned unbroken by his Templemore breeder, Adrian Young, to Tattersalls’ 2013 Derby Sale where he was purchased by Peter and Ross Doyle. Following his win at Wexford Equestrian, Moon On The River was sold to an eventing yard in the United States.

The IHWT Thoroughbred Club is pleased to be associated with the new class where horses will be judged in dressage and jumping but not for conformation.

“We are delighted to be involved with the Stepping Stones League,” said Sharon Power, “as it will help promote the use of ex-racehorses in eventing where they already have a good presence throughout the world, up to the highest level. The club has been set up to form a community of those riding and producing ex-track performers and further details can be found on our website.

“We are also going to run a series of showing classes at six shows over the summer months and are running a racehorse to riding horse clinic at Balcultry Stables near Swords next Sunday with Scott Brodie, a former advanced event horse rider in Australia who is now a thoroughbred rehabilitation manager in New South Wales. We hope to sponsor more classes and clinics throughout the year.”

One horse who is being aimed at the Stepping Stones’ thoroughbred series is the French-bred Arvika Ligeonniere, the winner of two hurdles and eight chases. Since being retired from racing, he has been in the care of Louise Duffy who previously partnered Assessed in the one-star class at Tattersalls international and with the Leopardstown Arkle winner represented Ireland at the international riding club championships in Britain.