THE Campbell family are justifiably proud of their beautifully appointed Dirraw Farm in Finvoy and the new outdoor all-weather jumping arena, which was officially used for the first time last Saturday by the Northern Region of Eventing Ireland, adds further to the venue as an equestrian centre.

“It needs time to settle but is a great addition,” said Steven Smith, who narrowly failed to complete on his dressage score (31) in the 17-runner EI110 when two seconds over the time on the new carpet gallop fibre surface with Mr Diceman. Local veterinary surgeon Rosie Alcorn beat the clock in both jumping phases but lowered one of the coloured poles to finish second with her eight-year-old Centre Stage mare, Centre Fold Belle (38).

Edgar Boggs recorded one of just three show jumping clears, and the only one inside the time, with Camiro de Clover, but this 13-year-old Camiro de Haar Z gelding picked up 4.4 cross-country time penalties for a completion score in third of 39.4. While a lot of penalties were amassed over Aaron McCusker’s show jumping track, there were very few problems on the Adam Stevenson-designed cross-country course.

This was a first win on his second start at Novice level for the John McBride-bred Irish Sport Horse gelding Mr Diceman, a seven-year-old by Ringfort Cruise out of an unraced Winged Love mare, Love On The Wing. “He’ll do another Novice at Glaslough (today) and then, hopefully, will go for the CCI2*-L at Kilguilkey,” said Smith of his winning mount. “I’m not competing at Millstreet as my older horses have enough qualifications while my younger ones need more experience.”

On board Handsome Starr, who had a fence down show jumping for a total of 31 penalties, the Gilford rider had to settle for second in the four-runner EI110 (Open) behind Patrick Eames. The A Level student led from the outset with his mother Elizabeth’s 14-year-old ISH gelding Peruising (by Puissance) who picked up a small number of time penalties on both jumping phases to win on 30.5.

Neither of the two competitors in the EI110 (J) completed nor did the sole starter in the EI110 (Amateur).

Win for Alcorn

Rosie Alcorn turned the tables on the Smith Brothers Eventing yard in the EI100 as she took the honours, on her dressage score, with her Jaguar Mail gelding Chrysanthos (24.5) while the Smith representatives filled the minor placings down to sixth. The successful six-year-old was home-bred by Acorn out of her Renkum Valentino mare Fiorella (CCI2*).

A delighted Hollie Smith beat her father Steven when placing second, on her first phase score, with the six-year-old Mr Big Cat gelding Urneypark Big Cat (27); Casey Webb finished third on the six-year-old Clerkenwell gelding Shanaghan New Horizon (27.8), who had a fence down show jumping, while Smith himself finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively on Jaguar Blues (28.3), Charles Imp (29.3) and Kitten Touch (29.5).

The Maddybenny winner and Glenpatrick second, Charles Imp, led after Lucinda Webb Graham’s judging of the dressage phase on 21.3 but the six-year-old Antaeus gelding had two fences down show jumping. Happily, Webb was none the worse from a fall on the flat on the final leg with the former point-to-pointer Cosmic Flight.

Only two of the 15 starters in the EI100 (J) managed to complete on their dressage scores and just half a point separated this pair from the outset.

The winner, on her third start of the season, was Dungannon’s Bethany Smith riding Declan Cullen’s 12-year-old dun gelding Dun Surprise (34) with the runner-up position being filled by the Smith yard representative, Sarah O’Shea, on Youngstars Cheetah (34.5) who was appearing for the sixth time this year.

Will McAuley’s dressage winner on 33.3, Lara McRobb on Courtyard Queen, picked up eight penalties in the show jumping arena while, with her second mount, Carrickaduff Dame, McRobb was one of two riders eliminated when jumping an incorrect fence over the fixed fences.

Half of the eight starters in the EI100 (P) had problems across the country – two of them failing to complete.

Show jumper Dylan Torrens led after Martina McKinley’s judging of the dressage phase with the veteran Grade A pony Glenarousk Flash Bandit (30). Not surprisingly, on their third start under Eventing Ireland rules, they left all the coloured poles intact but slipped to third when amassing 10.4 cross-country time penalties.

Leapfrogging them into first place were the Maddybenny EI90 (P) winners, Anna White with her mother Lisa’s 10-year-old Red House Condor mare Creaghduff Annie May (38), who had a fence down show jumping, while, with 6.8 cross-country time penalties, Erin McCrea finished second on Knockagarron Fear Bui Phoenix (39.8).

Victory for Toombs

The first seven in the 18-strong EI90 completed on their Penny Sangster-awarded dressage scores, led by Lucy Toombs and her 10-year-old grey mare Mithril Lace (24) who had been eliminated in both of their previous starts this season. Here, Kaiti McCann, a newcomer to the Eventing Ireland ranks this term, was second with the 12-year-old skewbald mare Boyher Cookies N Creme (24.3) while Grace Moore finished third on the 15-year-old former point-to-pointer Canadian Clipper (25.3).

The leaders after dressage, Jake Rawlinson on Knockaleery Legacy (22.5) and Laura Napier riding Hazeldene Etch A Sketch (23.3), both lowered a fence show jumping before sliding right down the leaderboard following cross-country. The first combination only cleared fence 17ab, the final turn birch, at the second attempt while 16.4 time penalties caused the other’s descent.

There was a very tight result to the 16-strong EI90 (P) where there were two eliminations in the show jumping ring – one for an early rider fall and one for failing to go through the start.

Bidding to follow up on her victory at Glenpatrick, Lauren Madine led after dressage on 28.3 with Moonshine Melody but rolled an expensive pole to drop to third. Delighted to record her first EI success was Aghalee’s Anna McErlean (13) who completed on her first phase score with Jenny Rollins’s Connemara pony Raford Jack (31.5). The 10-year-old grey gelding by Stonewall is out of the Earl Of Castlefrench mare, Raford Blue.

Closer to the optimum time across the country, Connie Cullen placed second on Finding Nemo while Erin McClernon had to settle for third with Sundance III although both completed on the same first-phase score of 31.8.

There is a ‘mid-term’ break in the Northern Region for the next few weeks with the action set to resume on Saturday, July 10th at Tullymurry.