COUNTY Meath’s Sarah Ennis spearheaded a strong and highly successful Irish challenge at the Burgham International event last weekend. Ennis’ runner-up spot aboard Horseware Stellor Rebound in the feature CIC*** was undoubtedly highlight of the foray, but adding to the celebrations, a further five Irish combinations featured in the top 10.

Hotly contested right until the end, winning honours fell to pillar to post leaders Gemma Tattersall and Chico Bella. The Sussex-based pair raised the bar with an outstanding dressage mark of 33.6, but it was Ennis, double-handed with Horseware Stellor Rebound (40.8) and BLM Diamond Delux (43.3) who filled the next two places on the flat.

Although an uncharacteristic show jumping error as well as time faults demoted the latter horse to 10th, Ennis held on to second place, from Tattersall again with the Badminton bound Arctic Soul and Oliver Townend riding Skyhills Cavalier.

Blustery, wet conditions on cross-country day had left David Evans’ well presented track quite slippery in places. As a result, only Paul Tapner riding the Scarvagh House-bred thoroughbred Indian Mill made it home within the time, leaving the lower placings up for grabs.

“We could have put our foot down across the country and won,” reflected Ennis, after stopping the clock 11.6 time penalties in arrears.

“However, it was his first big outing of the season, and I was delighted with how he was handling. We’ve had a few braking issues in the past, and although he was still a little strong at Ballindenisk last week, he went round here like a saint. As for BLM Diamond Delux, I was a bit disappointed to have a pole, as he has been jumping Grand Prix all winter, but he’s a bigger horse to manage and at this stage in the year is still not used to jumping on grass.”

As revealed in her column in The Irish Field recently, Ennis has spent time in Yorkshire training with Chris Bartle.

“Chris came to warm me up, and walk the course, which was hugely helpful,” she added. “We had been working on my balance across country, so it was really good to be able to put all I learned into practice and it seemed to work.”

The class of 39 runners was clearly dominated by the Irish, and incredibly nine of the top 10 were Irish-bred. Having show jumped clear the previous day, Joseph Murphy put his foot down to fill fifth spot with DHI Top Story, while Camilla Speirs and Portersize Just A Jif, who added just 13.6 time penalties to their opening mark, slotted into sixth.

Boding well for Badminton next month, Murphy produced yet another speedy round with Sportsfield Othello to move into seventh, and completing the top 10 were ninth-placed Patricia Ryan, double clear with Dunrath Eclipse, and Ennis again aboard BLM Diamond Delux. Other good rounds were recorded by Murphy with Electric Cruise (13th), Ryan again on Tullineasky Hi Ho (15th) and Michael Ryan, who riding Dunlough Striker completed in 17th.

Burgham also staged a wide range of other classes including a highly competitive CIC**.

British Olympian Nicola Wilson won from the front with the Rolex-bound Annie Clover, but after two immaculate jumping performances Esib Power led the Irish challenge to fill fifth with her exciting eight-year-old Soladoun. Joseph Murphy (HL Mrs Imp) and Camilla Speirs (BT Border Bandit) also completed in the top 20.

While the Irish successes in Burgham wrapped up a most successful opening month, there was further high profile action in the south of the country.

GREAT WITCHINGHAM

Having opened the season in outstanding form, a busy Mark Kyle travelled to Great Witchingham where he filled the runner-up spot in the feature advanced intermediate with the high performance squad-listed Jemilla and was placed fifth with the veteran Step in Time. The Leicestershire-based rider then went one better to head the open intermediate with Loughton Pearl and later, aboard Jesmond Justice, was again placed runner-up in a hot section of intermediate.

Jemilla’s placing behind Izzy Taylor and the highly-rated British listed KBIS Starchaser, was particularly rewarding. Completing inside the time on a competitive dressage mark of 29.3, Kyle moved ahead of the Rolex-bound pairing of Francis Whittington and Easy Target, as well as Pippa Funnell and Sandman 7.

“I’m obviously delighted with all of them,” Kyle commented. “As regards Jemilla, the aim is for next year, so the Europeans are not necessarily part of our immediate game plan.”

Owned and bred by Sheelagh Morley, the nine-year-old Jemilla had already opened her season with a second place in a similarly hot class at Lincoln and will now head for the advanced class at Belton later this month, followed by Saumur for a qualification.

Two years older, the winning Loughton Pearl is an Irish-bred mare by Cruising. Owned by John Troy she was sent to Kyle as a four-year-old, and placed in the young horse final at Burghley in the same year. Picking up a fourth place at Lincoln, she is now likely to head for Chatsworth and Tattersalls, as is Jesmond Justice.

ALDON

Moving further south and to the west, it was Jonty Evans who maintained Ireland’s winning run at Aldon. Riding the nine-year-old Cooley Rorkes Drift, he landed the feature advanced intermediate, also slotting into third with Double Dutch.

“Our medium term goal for Cooley Rorkes Drift is the three-star at Tattersalls,” said Evans of the son of Courage. “Longer term however, I think he’s plenty good enough to be considered for the Olympic Games in Rio. He’s definitely the one I’ve earmarked for next year. He’s got a very good brain, and even though he perhaps hasn’t got as much thoroughbred blood as I would ideally like, he has learnt to stretch and gallop.

“I didn’t chase the time at Aldon and was easing up through the finish, but we will see what he’s made of at Tatts.”

Finally, Olympian Austin O’Connor has a busy month ahead.

Aside from campaigning a sizeable string of young horses, he is scheduled to travel to Rolex with Balham Houdini, before heading for Badminton with Ringwood Mississippi.

Kate Jarvey’s gelding has had two foot perfect, pipe opening runs, the last of which was a 20th placing in the CICO at Fontainebleau.