THE Megahey family may no longer be as heavily involved in eventing as once they were but, as expected, when they invited the Northern Region of Eventing Ireland back to Glenpatrick following last year’s cancellation due to Covid-19, everything was finished to the highest standard.

Unfortunately, heavy rain overnight and in the morning resulted in soft underfoot conditions in the grass show jumping ring but there was universal praise for the presentation of fences on the Adam Stevenson-designed cross-country tracks.

The vast majority of those who withdrew before the final leg had accrued show jumping penalties.

Ahead of the start of cross-country at 1pm, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of the late Philip White, who had died so suddenly following his home event at Maddybenny seven days earlier, and the late Jim Robinson, brother of regional event co-ordinator, Dora Beacom.

As Sarah Riley’s daughter Izzy had returned to Cambridge, where she is in her final year studying natural sciences, Clare Abbott came in for the ride on DHI No Fear in the 28-starter EI110 where only three clears were recorded over the Aaron McCusker-designed show jumping track, just one of these inside the time.

Abbott had a pole down with the Rileys’ Holstein gelding but the Nonstop eight-year-old (who is out of a mare by Contendro I) had established such an impressive lead after Angeline Nicholson’s judging of the dressage phase that he won comfortably on a total of 23.3.

Amazingly, Sarah Ennis, who described Glenpatrick as being like a mini Badminton, was just over 20 penalties adrift in second on the year-younger Plot Blue mare, Action Lady M (43.2), who was making her seasonal debut.

“It was a lovely event and the course looked amazing on Friday evening when the going was perfect,” said Abbot. “Then the rain started and the ground got so wet. The cross-country is always educational here so I had a good run on a young horse of my own (Arthalent, seventh in that EI110) and two nice runs on the Riley horses (Miss Matana was eighth in the EI110 (Open)).”

Mr Diceman (51.9) finished third under Steven Smith whose five rides here (plus three at Crecora) included Mike Of Mourne, winner of the EI110 (Open) despite adding six cross-country time penalties to his dressage score of 26.8.

Winner of the CCI2*-S at Ballindenisk last August and 16th at Le Lion d’Angers, the 2014 Ringfort Cruise gelding is among the entries for next Saturday’s Horse Sport Ireland EI110 for six and seven-year-olds at Necarne.

Making his seasonal debut as the restrictions on amateur participation in sport eased, Dennis Currie led the 11-runner class after dressage with Arodstown Aramis (20.8).

Unfortunately, two fences down show jumping plus 3.2 time penalties dropped them down the leaderboard which they then climbed again with the fastest clear round across the country at this level for a completion score of 33.6 in second.

Lucy McIlroy easily saw off two rivals to win the Junior EI110 with her mother Angela’s eight-year-old Imperial Hights mare Imperial Black Pearl (43.3) while Caoimhe Crozier recorded an uncontested victory in the Pony section on the Connemara gelding Kildromin Banjo (54.9), a 10-year-old grey by Glendine Kestrel.