Margie McLoone

THERE were some big margin winners at Glaslough last Saturday, including Charlotte Dixon and V Zermie 51 who, in spite of 7.6 cross-country time penalties, easily landed the CNCJ* on a total of 31.4. This was an early birthday present for Dixon, who turned 18 on Sunday.

The Ballymena combination finished just over nine points clear of Toni Quail and Ringfort Rua (40.5) who, on their dressage score, had placed 20th at Tattersalls in the Junior class.

As Dixon was doing her A Levels at the time of the Co Meath international, she had travelled down to Ballindenisk in April when, against open opposition in the CCI* class, she completed in 10th position.

An outing in the O/CNC** at Kilmanahan didn’t go to plan when Dixon parted company from V Zermie 51, a tall, 14-year-old Namelus R gelding owned by the rider’s mother Barbara. However, now back on form, they will take in another intermediate class before heading to Ballinamona.

Co Kildare’s Ava Banahan had an up and down day, landing the CNCP** unopposed with Rathnaleen Dark Secret but being eliminated when falling from Its Shoe Time in the show jumping phase of the EI100P class.

Here, Anna Hayden got her season with Langtons Choice back on track when they won on a total of 34.6, a score which included 2.8 cross-country time penalties. They finished well clear of the second-placed pair of Herbie Purce on Seapatrick Hamish (41.9). The winners are due to move back up to two-star tomorrow at Grove.

In the EI100J, Hollie Smith was ruing the two fences she and the 11-year-old Spirit House gelding Hill Dancer had down in the show jumping phase and their 3.2 cross-country time penalties. However, they had been well clear after dressage on 20.8 and held on to first place as Jacqueline Magee and Ashvale Minstral completed on their flatwork mark of 35.8.

There were six starters in that class as there were in the EI90P where the only male winner of the day, Patrick Eames, took the honours when finishing on his dressage score of 28.8 with his mother Elizabeth’s Connemara Listowel Thunder, a seven-year-old gelding by Robe Thunder Dun.

Tola Thompson and Crossowen Lochlann led after the first phase on 25.3, but picked up eight show jumping penalties and then dropped right down the order when having a run-out at the hayshed at two.