Margie McLoone

THE Curran family had plenty to celebrate on Sunday at their local event, Ballinamona, where Geoff won the CNC** on River Derg while sister Fidelma claimed the amateur EI 90 with Ballyadam Philip.

The glorious weather displayed the Bogossian family’s Co Waterford parkland estate at its finest, and with an entry of just over 200, there was a very relaxed atmosphere throughout the day. The action ran a bit late in the sand show jumping arena but, while there was some talk of people missing the all-Ireland hurling final, no one became too fraught.

This is an ideal venue at which to upgrade and the Minister for Defence’s River Derg was tackling intermediate company for the first time on Sunday. The eight-year-old Ard VDL Douglas gelding, who only started eventing this year, remained on his dressage score (28.6) after his tour of the cross-country course but the Grade B jumper had the back bar off the oxer at three.

“I really like this fellow and rate him highly,” said Captain Curran of the Maeve McEvoy-bred bay. “He has to improve of course but is naturally good in all three phases. He’ll do a couple more national two-star classes and the plan is to have him ready for the international two-star at Tattersalls next year.

“I love competing here at Ballinamona as, not only is it close to home but the distances are perfect and the fences are really well-constructed and presented. I was delighted too to see my sister Fidelma, who works in the Bank of Ireland in Kilkenny and mainly does Riding Club events, win her class.

“My mother Peggy raised Ballyadam Philip, who was a foster foal, by hand so it was great that she and my other sisters, Catherine and Annemarie, were here to see them win.”

Puissance Skys (Katie Carss) and Hyjak (George Russell) shared the lead after dressage on 26.8 in the intermediate. The former slipped to second with four cross-country time penalties before being similarly penalised when lowering the vertical at six while Hyjak dropped out of contention with 20 jumping penalties at 14, the horse, on phase two and knocked the same coloured pole as the winner.

Louise Lyons and Threatreworld, who picked up 8.8, cross-country time penalties, finished third on 37.4 when recording the only clear show jumping round.

In the nine-runner open intermediate class, Sam Watson beat his good friend Ciaran Glynn into second when completing on his joint-winning dressage score of 27.7 with Horseware Lukeswell. The nine-year-old Puissance gelding, who recorded one of just two show jumping clears, will bid to add the CCI3* at Ballindenisk next week to the CIC3* he landed at Camphire in July.

Riding November Night, Glynn was home clear within the time across the country as was Neilus O’Donoghue with Potterys Field but both had a fence down show jumping for completion scores of 33.1 and 34 respectively. On their second appearance of the weekend, Elizabeth Power and Mind Me led jointly after dressage (27.7) but had eight cross-country time penalties before lowering two of the coloured poles.

On the two-star cross-country track there were three glance-offs at the combination at seven of a hedge to a corner to a skinny.