THE first round of this year’s Young Eventhorse Series, which is again supported and sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland, was held last Wednesday at Scarteen where there was a very large entry in the four-year-old division.

The loss of the late Harold McGahern was keenly felt as this reincarnation of the Future Event Horse League got off the ground for 2019 at the home of Chris and Sue Ryan, two of the founding members. However, his legacy was obvious in the continued organised running of the series by his good friend Barbara McGreal who certainly can’t be faulted in her promotion of YES.

New to the series team this year in the role of chief steward on the day is John Lyttle who was a member of the ground jury for two of the two-star classes at Tatts.

He would have been glad to see the day start off dry at Scarteen although, later in proceedings, two riders had to take their turn in the Derby arena during a very heavy shower of rain.

Linda Murphy had two rides in Section A of the four-year-old class and won with Susan Fitzpatrick’s MRF Tiffin with whom she had been placed in their three outings in the Stepping Stones To Success League.

Leading after the dressage phase (108.5 points), the Metropole mare jumped clear around the Derby track where the show jumping double caught out many of the four-year-olds. She completed on a total of 333.85 to secure the first qualifying ticket for the young event horse classes at the Dublin Horse Show. MRF Tiffin was bred in Co Laois by Mike Comerford out of the Classic Vision mare, Brockagh Classic Lady.

Jumping clear

Also jumping clear to finish second was Jason Higgins on his own and Mary Bolger’s Tolan R gelding Kilcannon It’s a Gamble (330.36) while amateur event rider Mary Mangan, mother of RTÉ racing pundit Jane, finished third, and qualified for the RDS, with another son of Tolan R, her own Galwaybay Blake (328.15).

Carol Gee had a lot of entries to pay for on Wednesday but she was well pleased with all her horses’ performances and had the winner of Section B in the Fraser Duffy-ridden Fernhill B Good (325.27). Higgins again had to settle for second with his own Verdi gelding Ogue Verdi (323.68).

Bred by Richard Irwin, Fernhill B Good is by the late Ramiro B out of the Dutch Warmblood mare Rigina, a daughter of Lord De Luxe. Rigina’s own dam, Kira, is by the US-bred thoroughbred Mytens, best-known in this country as the sire of Watermill Swatch.