STAGED in the final throws of the Indian summer, and within days of a second lockdown, eventing’s disrupted season finally drew to a close at Hillcrest last Sunday.

As the industrious hosts Rodney and Beth O’Donnell will have considered themselves fortunate to have run their third fixture of this concertinaed campaign, and as reported two weeks ago, O’Donnell has made massive improvements to the venue during the past few months. Never one to sit on his laurels, he is already looking towards next year, when he is planning to install yet another all-weather arena.

In the downtime however, he and Beth are also looking forward to the hunting season and, Covid-19 restrictions permitting, are hoping to make their usual spring foray to England. This annual trip includes days with the Leicestershire packs as well as the Flint and Denbigh.

“I take the event horses and it’s great to jump the hedges there,” Rodney said. “When they come back home they are ready to do a pre-novice; its cuts down on the eventing mileage and at the same time saves money!”

Despite the late October date, Sunday’s ground held up well. Described as good to soft, the galloping courses flowed smoothly, and leaving nothing to chance, O’Donnell had laid all-weather surfaces on the take offs and landings.

The tracks themselves were similar to those used two weeks earlier, but heeding the feedback from riders, O’Donnell had successfully extended the striding at the tricky sunken road to cottage complex at the fourth.

There was a smaller entry than usual, which was largely due to the Covid-enforced omission of the popular junior and amateur classes. As a result, riders contested just five classes, leaving the action done and dusted by mid-afternoon.

EI 110 (O)

It has been a difficult year for all event riders, but having been stranded in Australia at the start of the March lockdown, Co Wexford rider Maria Byrne was even later getting going than most.

Landing her first win of the year in the feature EI110 (O), she explained: “We only got the horses in a few weeks before the eventing started, and initially I took them show jumping.”

This move has proved invaluable, and indeed Byrne’s winning ride BGS Willpower has been successfully campaigning in 1.30m classes. A home-bred, by the thoroughbred Power Blade, the nine-year-old mare is now on the market.

“She’s very solid in all three phases, and I think will make a proper junior team horse,” said Byrne. “She has a shortish stride, which is a help when children come off ponies.”

The enterprising Byrne, who is in the final months of her Carlow IT based Masters of Science degree in strength and conditioning, was full of praise for the venue which she was attending for the first time.

“The ground was good, the track was strong in places and horses were able to gallop,” she added. Having posted the sole sub-thirty dressage mark of the six-strong class, Byrne maintained her lead to head Luke Drea, whose clear show jumping round with Anne Bannon’s Gorsehill Jack promoted him ahead of third placed Johnathan Steel and Rockfall.