Webb had one show jump down with Yvonne Pearson’s 11-year-old Kings Master gelding Kilpatrick Lord but, on 27.5, still finished with two points to spare over Steven Smith, who completed on his dressage score of 29.5 with Ringfort Valentino.

Kilpatrick Lord heads to Tattersalls for the CCI* next week, after which he will be on a break until Webb and partner Richard Iggulden return from the Royal Highland Show outside Edinburgh (June 19th-22nd). Kilpatrick Lord could also be visiting Scotland this year, with Blair Castle being considered as a target for the bay, who was bred by Joan Dolan and is closely-related to Sunday’s Annaharvey winner, Kilpatrick Dancer.

There was strong northern support for the Co Meath event, which took place in glorious sunshine. Brian Dalrymple’s venue comes into its own when the weather is good as there is a great view from beside the lorry and trailer park of the start and finish areas of the cross-country track.

There were compliments from owners and riders both for the going and the work put into the fences, which included a new water complex. Ian Stark, course designer for Tattersalls, has said that his new one-star track for the international next week includes plenty of Meath ditches and anyone who competed at Boden Park had the opportunity to test their horses over similar fences.

The one-star riders had very few problems with the Tony McManmon-built cross-country track but only a couple took on the angled birch bounce (fence 21).

Wendy Harris had to retire Kings Courier in the open novice while Jean Meagher did the same with Kedrah’s Hugo Boss at fence five, the dry ditch, in the CNC*. Colin Halliday picked up 20 penalties when Mont Ta Me had to be re-presented at fence 17, the sunken road.

Joseph Murphy received no points for style when landing on his feet after Maizey Malt spooked and decanted him at the second fence, the curved flower box.

There were falls over the track in the junior and amateur classes for Robbie Kearns and Garrybritt Bonny, Jackie Hudson and Tintomara and Lynne Ireland with Blackwood Quantum Rebel.

Fences seven (the trellis to splash) and 16 (the hay cart after the sunken road) caused problems on the pre-novice track. The former also had an influence on the result in the intro. Throughout the day, errors of course resulted in eliminations on the cross-country course.

The decision to use one and a half rings for the show jumping phase didn’t work out well on Saturday.

“I probably should have asked the office to give us times for show jumping like I did last year,” said Peter Quirke, one of the main forces behind the event. “The plan was for the open novices to jump after cross-country but as some went early, we decided to let them all go. Then riders in pre-novice classes kept arriving to jump, which held up those competing in the novice classes. We’ll sort that out for next year.”

The Smith brothers totally dominated the CNC* by filling the top four places from five rides.

In finishing second on Bachelor (28.5) and third with Nauvoo (30.5), Trevor was sandwiched between Steven’s fourth-placed mount, the thoroughbred Bellaney Express (32) and his winner, Ringfort Rubicon.

Completing on his winning dressage score of 25 penalties, Diane Harron Eakin’s home-bred six-year-old Iroko gelding was scoring on the fourth time of asking at this level, having started this season as he ended the last, with a pre-novice success.

The good-looking bay caught the eye when he commenced his eventing career here last year and he competed in the 2013 Future Event Horse League, qualifying for Dublin. Born by embryo transfer, his dam is the three-star Porsch mare Ringfort Rara Ruby, a full-sister to another three-star eventer in Tyrella Redskies.

Ringfort Rubicon is held in high regard by connections and it will be interesting to see how his career develops. His cross-country performances have been impeccable to date – his one elimination was down to rider error – while he has only had poles down in four of his 14 outings.

Like Smith, Cathal Daniels finished first (Kilrodan Queen B) and fourth (Callatra Lilly) in the eight-runner CNCJ*.

The Galway rider’s path to victory with John Craig’s home-bred six-year-old Boherdeal Clover mare was eased when the leaders after dressage, Robbie Kearns on Garrybritt Bonny (25) and Lydia Dawson on Gloster Boy (27), were both eliminated on the final leg.

Third after the flat work phase, Daniels and Kilrodan Queen B had a fence down show jumping but were the only ones in the class to go clear within the time across the country for a total of 33 penalties.

On a good weekend for Connemaras in show jumping and eventing, Annagh Storm won the Junior C in the hands of Killinchy’s Anna Kelly. The 12-year-old Ashfield Festy gelding has an excellent record in breed performance classes and pony working hunters, which he has transferred to this discipline.

Second in his Connemara working hunter class at Balmoral the previous Thursday, the grey had 0.5 of a penalty point in hand here over Ricardo Colour (William Mackie) who added eight show jumping penalties to his winning dressage score of 25.