Sally Parkyn

POSSIBLY the best one yet, was the general verdict following last weekend’s highly successful international event fixture at Ballindenisk. Carrying record overseas entries and incorporating the second leg of this year’s FEI Nations Cup series, the Co Cork venue staged a mammoth nine-class schedule taking place over four days.

Even the weather came to order. Decisions concerning watering were ultimately shelved when the heavens opened on Saturday morning and the gods proved equally obliging when Sunday’s cross-country day ran under cloudless skies.

Adding to the feel good factor of the weekend, Irish riders featured prominently. They headed four individual classes, while Irish-bred horses dominated the placings, and indeed filled the top four in the CICO***.

Looking back over the week, Peter Fell commented: “Overall, we couldn’t be more delighted with both the entries and the event as a whole. It was a very fine dividing line whether to water or not, so although we had the water tankers on standby, we were obviously very thankful that it rained when we needed it to.”

In the end, the conditions proved near to perfect. All cross-country-tracks were fully aggrovated, while the dressage arenas and warm ups were watered as well.

Beefed up from last year, Andrew Fell’s cross-country tracks for the Nations Cup delivered an appropriate challenge.

As usual, overseas riders scratched their heads about how to negotiate Ballindenisk’s famous avenue crossings, while the two-tier show jumping (in the same arena) tracks also tested rider’s reactions. The ring did look a little congested on Saturday morning, but in general Tony Hurley’s courses rode smoothly and proved influential in the final phases.

The next fixture at the venue is the inaugural Eventing Ireland national championships, which will be held on July 11th-12th. A very generous prize fund of €40,000 is on offer and Fell is enthusiastic about the concept.

“It’s for all the members – not just the elite,” he said. “We will run with a very similar format to this event, and all the tracks will be up to championship standards.”

Girl power wins again

NATIONS CUP

CICO***

FOR the second year in succession, an all-girl quartet from Britain took the honours in an exciting Nations Cup.

Heading Ireland by nine marks, the British squad of Louise Harwood (Whitson), Nicky Roncoroni (Stonedge) and Izzy Taylor (KBIS Starchaser) and Georgie Strang (Cooley Business Time) held a commanding lead after dressage and show jumping, but were stunned when pathfinder and competition leader Taylor glanced past the tricky angled ditch at the Andrews Ask (12).

This left the door slightly ajar for second-placed Ireland and also France. In the end it made little difference. Taylor’s glitch proved to be the sole cross-country penalty, so discarding her score, the remaining trio held on to win on 143.4.

The Irish, just off the pace after dressage, were the only team of four not to incur any jumping penalties and moved up to fill second (152.3) from France (159.3). The team performance was a very promising one, with three of the four horses comparative newcomers at the level.

Sarah Ennis, who claimed second place overall with Stellor Rebound (43.2), spearheaded a squad that included Aoife Clark (Arco BB), Joseph Murphy (Westwinds Hercules) and Sam Watson with Horseware Lukeswell. Like Ennis, Murphy completed on his first phase score (54.3), while Clark added an influential 10.4 time penalties in the country, and Watson just 2.8.

“We’re closing the gap and I’m very, very, pleased,” said Ireland’s team manager Nick Turner. “The three younger horses are new to the squad, and showed great promise for the future. To have moved up from last year is very positive. There is still definite improvement yet to come from all of them, and it is the positivity of progression that results in motivation. I’m particularly proud of Sarah, for whom WEG last year did not work out. She has come back strongly this year with both her horses, and is reaping the benefits of some hard winter training.”

He added: “The [Europeans] championships this year are exciting, but we also have to be mindful to look after some of the young horses for next year. The Olympic Games and the Europeans are two very different tests, so I’m opening my mind to other horses as well – to have a pool broad in age and experience.”

In second spot after dressage, Christophe Guillemet (Mach De La Barre), Gilles Bordes (Orion De Cavalhac), Francois Lemiere (Ogustin Du Terroir) and Luc Chateau (Propiano De L Ebat) fell behind in the show jumping, and further again after clocking up time faults in the country.

Chandler takes honours on Irish-bred

CICO *** INDIVIDUAL

ALTHOUGH she did not make the cut for the British Nations Cup squad, Leicestershire rider Emilie Chandler gained compensation when landing the individual title with the Irish-bred 11-year-old Gino Royale.

Holding a solid second place after the first two phases, it was Chandler who benefited when overnight leaders Izzy Taylor on KBIS Starchaser clocked up 20 penalties in the country.

“It’s certainly a different track from those we would meet in England – but I loved it!” said the first time Ballindenisk visitor. “I loved the fact that there was only so much you could do to plan ahead, and you just had to deal with the problems as they came up. The horses loved it too, and have learnt so much.”

Bred by Gerard Cavanagh in Co Sligo, Gino Royale was sourced from Vere Phillips as a four-year-old, and is by the Holstein registered sire Gino111 out of Finod Doitin (Cavalier Royale).

“This is his highest placing ever,” she added. “He’s always been knocking at the door, but this week is the first time that he’s really nailed a good dressage as well as everything else – if I can do it again I’m away!”

Moving up the order to fill second spot from an initial sixth place, Sarah Ennis was equally upbeat about Horseware Stellor Rebound.

“I didn’t change anything since we went so well at Burgham, so I was delighted to see that it all worked again,” laughed Ennis. “He was unbelieveable today. He’s just an amazing horse, and I’m so lucky to have him. He’s a demon to gallop, he was way up on all his minute markers, and was as neat as ninepence everywhere.”

Completing the top four placings for Irish-bred horses, Nicky Roncoroni slotted into third with her Strzegom CCI*** victor Stonedge (43.3) from Oliver Townend and the former Michael Ryan ride Dromhurrihy Blue (47.6).

The leaderboard changed slightly after dressage when third-placed Piggy French withdrew Westwood Mariner and Jayne Doherty did the same with her recent Tyrella winner The Only One. Both had suffered minor knocks, leaving a strong field of 39 to go forward into the show jumping.

In fourth spot at that stage, Aoife Clark was demoted when Fernhill Adventure rolled a pole, but in general the fast, springy ground accounted for an above average number of clear rounds.

Although Tony Hurley’s course looked well up to height it jumped easily for those in contention but, on balance, proved problematic enough for the less experienced.

On walking, Andrew Fell’s cross-country test also looked meaty, but ultimately all but three jumped clear.

The accuracy demanding Andrew’s Ask ditch to brush (12) at the half-way point expensively caught out leaders Izzy Taylor and KBIS Starchaser while Denise O’Brien and Tommy B Good called it a day at the preceding avenue crossing.

Another recently tweaked feature was the final water complex (22b), three from home. Elizabeth Hayden and Classic Piper ducked out to the right here, but otherwise it was the time that proved to be the deciding factor.

Ennis aside, the British dominated the top 10. Separating them, Frenchman Luc Chateau (Propiano De L Ebat) looked classy in seventh, as did Patricia Ryan in ninth. Riding the smart Dunrath Eclipse for Carol and Tom Henry, the Bandon rider added just 2.8 time penalties to her opening mark of 49.5.

A little adrift after dressage (54.3), but showing signs of great potential, Joseph Murphy was otherwise fault free with Westwinds Hercules (12th), from fellow team member Sam Watson and the exciting Horseware Lukeswell (13th).

Prizes galore

ADDING to the array of prizes on offer at Ballindenisk were the beautiful Ballindenisk plaques. Reminiscent of the events at Blarney Castle in years gone by, they were very well received by riders, and generously presented by the organisers to all those who completed.

Breeder support

IT was good to see north Kilkenny couple Paddy and Angela Mullally out on track, breeders of the leading British Nations Cup horse Stonedge.

At present in the process of confirming Stonedge’s pedigree with Horse Sport Ireland, the pair later celebrated his success with a glass or two of champagne in the company of his rider Nicky Roncoroni and her mother Janey.

Among the others watching with enthusiasm were Brianne Stanley, the early producer of Cooley Business Time, and Danielle Quinlivan, whose mother Mary bred the full-brothers Fernhill Adventure and Gee Que, both competing at the Cork venue.