ALTHOUGH there was a poor turn-out for the six-year-old class at Lisgarvan on Sunday, there were 17 starters in the EI100 for five-year-olds where Ian Cassells made it two wins from three outings on Diamond Pointe.

Cassells completed on his winning dressage score (25.5) with the tall Pointilliste gelding who was bred by his owner, Kildare veterinary surgeon Bridget McGing.

Surprisingly, the winner wasn’t heading down to Camphire for last evening’s Masterclass but that was the target for the second-placed Shannondale Icarus (26.3), who also filled the runner-up spot in a five-year-old class at Grove at the end of last month. A regular in young event horse classes under his rider here, Louise Bloomer, that Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan gelding is owned by Jinnie Webb.

Lydia Dawson didn’t run Killina Lad in that five-year-old division but it was nevertheless a good day for the north Co Dublin rider as she completed on her dressage score (30.8) to win the open EI100 class on her own Clonswords Alf.

The eight-year-old Clonswords Mr Jones gelding didn’t enjoy the best of times in two outings at one-star level and has appreciated the drop back to pre-novice company, this victory coming on the back of a fourth place finish at Grove.

GOOD FOrm

Tracy Walshe maintained her good form when second (31) on the seven-year-old Cavalier Land gelding Shanroe Shadowfax who was making his seasonal debut. Karyn Jamieson held a comfortable lead after dressage (24.3) with Empress Calisto but, not for the first time, the eight-year-old fell foul of the show jumping phase and, with 16 additional penalties, dropped out of contention.

With the FEI European Eventing Championships for Juniors taking place in Millstreet it wasn’t surprising that there few competitors for the Junior classes here with just six starting in the EI100J class.

Two new partnerships filled the first two placings, Sophie Foyle taking the honours on her winning dressage score (31) with the 14-year-old grey mare Fernhill Ruby, with Harry Swan also completing on his flat work mark (37) with the seven-year-old Loughehoe Guy gelding Kilcannon Top Guy.

Fernhill Ruby was once ridden by Jennifer Kuehnle who won Sunday’s EI100P class on her first start with the former international pony The Royal Guest, in spite of adding four show jumping penalties to her winning dressage score (33).

Heather O’Connor and the Connemara Robin Hood’s Gentle Cloud, regulars on the Irish Pony Club eventing circuit, finished second in this three-runner class on their first phase score of 39.

Having finished second in the six-year-old class with Xuanatu, Co Wexford’s Katie Prowse won the EI90 class for four-year-olds when recording the only double clear on West Of The Law. The Wilomer gelding was bred in Co Cork by Gretta Keohane out of the Young Freeman mare Young Leapmans. He was having just his second start on Sunday.

With four show jumping penalties apiece, Janie Cairns finished second (35.5) on Lawrence Patterson’s Ricardo Z gelding Drumnaconnell Goody Bag, who had placed seventh on his debut at Tullymurry, while Michael McNally was third on Pat Wall’s Baltydaniel Silver Fox gelding John A (38.3).

On his only other ride of the day, McNally won the open EI90 class, with the only double clear, on the five-year-old gelding Castlekelly Dun Can (33) who had finished seventh first time out at Kilguilkey.

Alannah Kelly’s 4.8 cross-country time penalties were expensive as she placed second on Cooley Bounce (36.6), while British international Nicky Roncoroni picked up six time penalties on the final leg to finish third with Romantic (39.3) on her first start in a national event in this country.

Now living in Co Kilkenny, Roncoroni was another who had a good weekend as on Saturday she was at the Tattersalls July Show where she secured a qualifying ticket for the four-year-old Dubarry Burghley young event horse final with her Emperor Augustus gelding Tamerlane.

Julie Hatton from Tullow won the concluding EI90P class on her father Ivan’s Connemara gelding Douglas, a six-year-old by Shadows Dun. The Co Carlow combination completed on their first phase score of 32.5 as the dressage winners, Kym Jolly on Lundy (28), were eliminated for cumulative refusals across the country.