THE Northern Region of Eventing Ireland will be unveiling a new-look Tyrella on Saturday next, March 23rd, as much work has been carried out at the Corbett family’s seaside estate over the past six months.

Britain’s Mike Etherington-Smith, who is course designer for this year’s European championships at Luhmühlen, was asked to throw a fresh eye over the Co Down venue and come up with some new ideas for tracks and fences. This he did and the regional course designer and builder, Adam Stevenson, has been working on these plans since the end of the 2018 campaign.

Of course, all these changes have to be paid for and much credit must be given to the fundraising committee who have been hard at work running draws, raffles, a car boot sale, etc to bring in money and attract sponsorship.

Late last month, stud owner and veterinary surgeon Hugh Suffern and his team at Tullyraine Equine Clinic, staged a pre-season veterinary forum from which all proceeds went to the RejuvenEight project.

Already a presence at events in the region through its sponsorship of the secretarial unit, the solar power company Lightsource BP will be title sponsor at Tyrella for the next five years. Other confirmed sponsors for 2019 are Orthoderm, whose livery will be wrapped around the scorers’ unit, Horse First, Baileys Horse Feeds, Mark Crawford Bedding, Tattersalls International Horse Trials and Pooler Estates. Annaghmore Saddlery returns as the weekly tack shop.

The region held its annual two-phase event at Tyrella last Saturday and while some riders living in the north west couldn’t travel because of snow, there was an excellent turn-out of competitors who enjoyed sunny spells and endured showers. There was also a good crowd at Sunday’s Go-As-You-Please.

The polo ponies were to come off the fields on Monday when Pat Turley, who looks after the ground at Tyrella for both the events and point-to-points, was going in to prepare the dressage field.