WASHING machines and dryers were no doubt working overtime following the one-day event at Killossery Lodge Stud last Saturday.

Rain which started falling lightly enough around 6.30am developed into a heavy, persistent deluge to the disgust and dismay of organisers Laura, Frank and Ciaran Glynn who had put so much work into staging the event. The indoor school was well populated for much of the day with those seeking refuge from the elements.

Cross-country course designer Ciaran Glynn had aerated the course on a lovely warm and sunny Friday and, according to those who walked it that night, the track was in perfect condition. However, those hours on the tractor were still well spent as, had the ground not been aerated, the going, especially on the descent to the water, would have been extremely slippery.

The rain made it difficult for those riding their dressage tests and, at times, for the judges as well. “I hate to have my wipers on when horses are coming down the centreline,” commented Jacki Doherty, “but I had to – otherwise I couldn’t see anything!”

One had to have a lot of sympathy for all the call-up stewards on Saturday and it was good to hear some senior riders express their concerns for the “guy picking up all the show jumps in the grass field”. In his turn, Denis Coakley had a refreshing outlook on the task he had been allocated. “It was payback time!” he commented.

“I usually have so many show jumps down that I refer to this phase as skittles!”

Cross-country commentator Paul Nolan found himself in a new outdoor judging unit on Saturday from which he had a good view of horses coming down the hill towards the table bank, away from it to the water and then back up towards the finish.

Luckily, having walked the course, he was ensconced in his new lair before the heaviest of the rain fell. From there, Nolan could probably see the day’s designated photographer Louise O’Brien shivering with the cold.

Not too surprisingly, while there was plenty of business for Sioban Cousins’s large catering unit outside the indoor school throughout the day, there were few customers for her small kiosk at the picnic area.

There was a longer than expected delay between the one-star and pre-novice classes partly explained by the fact that one fence judge had left her demister on so she could see riders’ numbers and had drained her car battery!-

This event hadn’t originally been targeted by Clare Abbott for her older horses but she felt they needed a confidence-building run following Punchestown (2) and, in spite of the weather, had a rewarding trip down from Hillsborough with all three of mounts being well placed.

Glenkeeran River won the nine-runner O/CNC1* with his stable-companion, the Nigrasine mare Timpany Night in second. Both completed on their respective flat work marks of 27.3 and 30.3 penalties, while the dressage winner, Ballylynch Sky High (27), was withdrawn by Alison Crampton after that first phase.

Abbott’s placings weren’t confirmed until she had queried an elimination and time penalties in the show jumping ring where both Lucy Latta (DHI Broadway) and Ella Boyle (Candy 737) received the big E for leaving out fences at the end of their open novice course.

The nine-year-old Crosstown Dancer gelding Glenkeeran River, Abbott’s only ride at Tatteralls this week, was bred out of the thoroughbred mare Glenkeeran In The Deep by Maria Melvin, whose husband John, owner of the bay, was on duty as a cross-country starter on Saturday. A two-horse box gave Melvin and others working at the start, some shelter from the rain.

Abbott was also delighted with the third-place finish in Section B of the EI100 class of the very promising five-year-old Valent gelding Jewellent.