THE previous weekend’s torrential rain was a distant memory as Ian and Alison Wilson welcomed the Northern Region of Eventing Ireland to a dry and warm Vesey Lodge last Saturday.

There was a wait list for the event which reached its quota of 200 entries after a slow start. Excellent use was made of the limited parking space with the normal show jumping field being used for cars/jeeps and trailers with the jumping taking place across from that in the lorry-parking field.

There was a great covering of grass throughout with Ian Wilson explaining that the cattle had been taken off the land a couple of weeks in advance of the event by a very obliging farmer.

The fences caused few problems in jumping – apart, that is, from fence four, the road crossing. As a three-element obstacle for the novice horses it jumped well with these more experienced animals having little problem getting the long stride after the narrow log set in a hedge to the drop off followed by a birch-topped slopping box.

The sand on the road and bank was well tended throughout and when the log off was covered with sand, it was regularly cleared and daubed with white paint.

For the pre-novice horses, some of whom scrambled off the bank, the third element skinny was removed and, again, there were few problems, with just one rider fall. However, no change was made to the fence for the EI90 classes and the four-year-olds in particular found it very daunting.

Three top riders of young horses – David O’Connor, Casey Webb and Colin Halliday – were unseated. Halliday fared the worst as his mount stood on his arm with the stud tearing into the muscle, an injury which required 10 stitches. Thankfully he was able to ride at the Dublin Horse Show this week.

NERVES

John Gavin, who only started competing under Eventing Ireland rules last year, was too nervous to consider winning the Horse First CNC1* until all the results were collated and checked.

Riding his own Toome Ramiro Pippin, Gavin was lying joint-third (30.3) after dressage and was left in front following the show jumping phase where the leaders, Andrew Turley on Colenomer (28.5) picked up 12 jumping faults, Tori Dixon had a fence down with the second-placed Mawillan (29) and John Bannon added eight penalties to his joint-third score with Sizing Alberta.

“I just wasn’t sure about the time as, while I loved the course, it was quite twisty and there was a long run uphill to the second last fence,” said Gavin who is operations manager with Oireachtas TV. As it was, the seven-year-old Ramiro B mare was home three seconds under the optimum time to score on just her fifth start at novice level.

“Since Christmas, I’ve been keeping Pippin at Broadmeadow which, with its indoor school, was a godsend over the bad winter and spring. I usually gallop on the beach but, as it has been so busy lately I’ve used the Lee Valley Gallops twice and have gone with Steven McAvinchey who won the six-year-old class here. That had her spot-on for today while Michael Moore has been giving me a lot of help with my dressage lately.”

Gavin, who was paying a first visit to Vesey Lodge, purchased Pippin as a foal in Cavan from her Co Monaghan breeder, Rose McGinn. She is out of Toome Pippin (by Diamond Chin), who is a full-sister to former leading show jumper Eezy, while she herself is an ‘aunt’ of Eezy Cruise Lad (by Carrick Diamond Lad) who is eventing in America.

“Pippin will go to Tattersalls next, then Loughanmore and, if everything there goes well, I might take her to Ballindenisk for the international,” concluded Gavin, who is a staunch member and former chairman of Ashbrook Riding Club.

As an amateur, he was particularly pleased to finish ahead of Trevor Smith on A Hint Of Red (31.3) and Steven Smith with Newferry Jagermeister (35.3), both of whom also completed on their dressage scores as did fourth-placed Catherine Robinson on Excalibur (35.5).

Although he beat the clock across the country with both of his rides in the O/CNC1*Steven Smith had to settle for second and fourth with Hi Happy Harry, who completed on his dressage score (29.5), and Ballyward who had a fence down show jumping (38).

winning ways

Jessica McIntyre and Sergeant Kiki, who parted company in the show jumping at Camphire, got back to winnings ways when adding 2.4 cross-country time penalties to their dressage score of 26.5. Locally-based William Mackie led after the first phase with Carneyhaugh Conquistador (25.3) but, having lowered one of the coloured poles, took it handy on the final leg.

There were 13 starters in the Baileys Horse Feeds CNCJ1* which was led throughout by Trim’s Emily McQuade who completed on her dressage score with the 14-year-old Out Of Touch mare Bright Side (27.5). Hollie Smith likewise finished the day on her first phase score with Anvil Lodge Pinnochio (37.3), the pair being split by Megan O’Leary who added two cross-country time penalties to her flat work mark (31.3) with Silver Brog.

Richhill’s Lucy Johnston got back on track following a disappointing performance at the Fernhill Sport Horses international in June when also recording an all-the-way success here in the five-runner CNCP2* with the Connemara gelding Tynan Mist, by Crusheen Comet.