MALLOW-based Sian Coleman has recently returned to the sport after breaking her leg out hunting with the Duhallow. A bad break, it has taken the best part of six months to heal, so she was particularly delighted to clock up her first win of the year in the opening sector of the EI 110 at Crecora on Sunday.

Teaming up with the former Nicola Ennis ride Sarco To Perfection, Coleman proved unbeatable on the flat and, foot perfect in both jumping phases, completed ahead of Jonathan Steele aboard Harold Lusk’s similarly clean jumping Boss Quality and Luca Bortolamei (DOS Spideog).

Owned and bred by Oliver Walsh, the winner is as his name suggests by Shannondale Sarco out of the jumping mare Hyundai Santa Fe.

“At the moment I’m only riding the easy ones, and the ones I know,” said Sian. “I’m still not 100%, my leg is a bit weak and it will take time. This horse is a real gent and I’m looking forward to having some fun with him this year, with Millstreet CCI2*-S being the early aim.”

As in the first sector, show jump clears were not easy to achieve, but one to make it look easy was Daniel Alderson aboard Global Event Horses Ltd German-bred mare Global Gamiro. It was Alderson’s first win on Irish soil since returning from his native UK, and he’s happy to be back.

“I love Ireland, the people, the eventing scene and the support I have been given has been amazing,” he said. “When Chris (Hunt) and Brian (Morrison) offered me the job as a rider at Global I jumped at it – and now I ride anything I’m given!”

Leila Barker, who is enjoying a great season, completed in second with the six-year-old Double Sixteen, from Amanda Goldsbury and the multiple winner PLS Coconuts.

Strong class

A busy Michael Ryan is another rider on a roll, and his win in the 34-strong EI 100 came courtesy of the traditionally-bred The Game Changer, by Nazar.

Originally produced by his wife Patricia, The Game Changer dominated the dressage on the only sub-10 score of 26.0 and was never headed. Playing catch up but six marks in arrears, Sian Coleman filled second with the Coroner-sired Kilroe Phoenix, and Alderson was third aboard Global Javall Gold.

Another big entry contested the EI 90, which was well won by Pauline Dahill with Tim Beecher’s home-bred seven-year-old Loughnatousa Hector. Dahill, is another rider who has been clocking up the miles and, with the Covid restrictions in force regarding under age riders, has just completed the Stepping Stones series with a variety of ponies.

Dahill, together with her mother and sister, run a small yard in Lismore, where they specialise in showing ridden Connemara ponies, as well as producing and break for owners.

The winning Loughnatouse Hector (OBOS Quality) led from the get go, and while the show jumping juggled the order slightly, the final result fell largely in line with dressage. Jason Doerflinger filled a good second with Ralph Conroy’s five-year-old Miclhem Miam, from Alice Copithorne and Once Upon A Time.