A THUNDERSTORM which began just after midnight and continued until around 7am had a huge effect on the ground as Michelle and Danny Dulohery welcomed competitors to Sunday’s first Eventing Ireland one-day of the season at Kilguilkey House.

“We had 140 or so taking part in the Area 5 (Irish Pony Club) minimus and tetrathlon training day here on Saturday and they didn’t leave a print on the ground but it was a lot different on Sunday,” said Danny. “A couple of inches of rain fell overnight on ground we had taken a first cut of sileage off and we had to take out one of the two-star fences as the ground was very heavy around it.

“It was heavy too on the flat between some of the other fences but was fine at the fences themselves. I was happy that most problems on the track were well spread out but there a good few penalised at fence five (rail, coffin to bush fence). The tracks were up to full height and asked plenty of questions.

“The lower grades show jumped on sand but the one and two-star horses were on grass where, although there was no need for us to do it, we moved the fences on to fresh ground for the two-star horses. Preparations are going well for the international here at the end of the month and we are looking forward to running one of the new 1.05m classes. The fences will go out straight after Tatts.”

As he knew the rain-softened ground would mean more work for him on the day, Danny had to forgo his planned ride in Sunday’s Dairygold EI100 Amateur class on Cashelane Captain but Michelle still competed her two, finishing third on Blackmoor Crest and 13th with Gangster. While Danny had a different reason for doing so, many others withdrew during the day because of the ground while there were lots of retirements on the cross-country course, especially at fence five.

“It was like a different country!” said Alex Donohoe who had competed two horses on fast ground at Killossery Lodge Stud on Saturday and had one, the winner, in the CNC2* at Kilguilkey House on Sunday.

Despite the ground conditions, five horses got home within the time across the country in this 16-runner class, including Donohoe with Guidam Roller (29.8) and the fourth-placed combination of Kate Gibney and Bens Gold (34.3) who both completed on their dressage scores.

VICTORY

This was a first Eventing Ireland victory for Guidam Roller, the only horse registered on CapallOir by his sire Guidam Gold who was by Guidam out of the Rockhill Clover mare Meabhs Clover. Sunday’s winner was bred in Co Louth by Gerard Callan out of the High Roller mare Black Roller. Guidam Roller had some good placed form to his credit last season which he rounded off by representing the Irish Sport Horse Studbook in the CCI2* for seven-year-olds at Le Lion d’Angers where he had 12 time faults across the country but 23 on the final show jumping phase.

“He was just tired at that stage as he is a grand jumper,” said Donohoe who is based at her family’s dairy farm outside Gorey and is coached by Steve Smith and Sophie Richards (jumping) and Pippa Teggin (dressage). “I bought him as an unbroken four-year-old and he didn’t start eventing until June of the following year. He’s 17.2hh, and long, and is only now growing into himself; he is much better balanced this year. He has a great attitude. He will do the CIC2* back at Kilguilkey and also at Camphire. We will look for a CIC3* for him towards the end of the season.”

With 1.6 cross-country time penalties, Cathal Daniels finished second on OLS King Aragon (32.5), who had won the CNC2* at Rosanna (1) on his intermediate debut. However, the Kildare-based rider completed on his winning dressage score (26.1) to easily claim the nine-runner O/CNC2* with one of his recent Chatworth CIC3* winners, Margaret Kinsella’s home-bred Jack Of Diamonds mare Rioghan Rua.

Third on their seasonal debut in similar company at Rosanna (2), Sophie Richards and SRS Adventure improved a place and, despite the addition of 2.4 cross-country time penalties, they finished well clear of the remainder.