TYRELLA was certainly looking its best last Saturday when the Northern Region’s final one-day event at the Corbett family’s estate for 2018 was staged in brilliant sunshine.

Like many of our home-based riders, Britain’s Holly Woodhead headed to the Co Down seaside venue (in her case, via River Lodge Equestrian) following the cancellation of the international at Ballindenisk. All were rewarded not only by the good weather but also by excellent going thanks to the efforts of Pat Turley and his team..

With the many trucks and trailers stretched right along the coastal perimeter of the dressage and show jumping field it was good to find extra loudspeakers in place on Saturday so that competitors were aware of what was happening out on the Adam Stevenson-designed course-country course where the action got under way promptly at 11.30am.

Stephanie Stammschroer and her mother Paula’s Master Swatch marked their second appearance of the season with a comprehensive victory in the 12-runner CNC2* class.

Although only fifth after David Lee’s judging of the dressage phase on 35 penalties, the Co Meath combination were easily the fastest across the country, picking up 0.4 of a time penalty, and lowered just one of the coloured poles. They finished over 10 points clear of Christine O’Donnell and Blessington Prince Royal (49.9) with another of the country’s young riders, Kate Gibney, completing in third place on Bens Gold (55).

Woodhead, who recorded one of only two show jumping clears in this class, is still getting to know E Warrantsson (a new ride for this season) and her fourth-placed total of 56.3 included 19.2 cross-country time penalties. The other combination to leave all the coloured poles intact was Clare Abbott with Timpany Night who had shared the lead after dressage on 28.9 with Michael Ryan and TR Kaygraff.

Unfortunately, being a bit ring-rusty across the country (she hadn’t run since July last year), Abbott’s Nigrasine mare had earlier spoiled her chances of victory when glancing off the second of the open corners at six across the country, picking up 18 time penalties in the process. Ryan and TR Kaygraff accrued 30 cross-country time penalties before having a fence down show jumping. Time penalties are often a feature of the cross-country phase here when the tracks finish over the dunes.

Stammschroer, a Leaving Certificate student at King’s Hospital, celebrated her 18th birthday in December so is out of Juniors and now has selection for the Young Riders’ team as her target. The European championships at Fontainebleau take place in early July so, after the disrupted start to the season because of the weather, riders will have limited opportunities to impress their high performance manager, Debbie Byrne.

The nine-year-old Master Swatch is a member of the second Irish crop by the Dutch thoroughbred Watermill Swatch. He was bred in Co Galway by Olga Scully and is the only foal out of the Actinium mare The Lady Gregory who had been purchased specifically for Scully’s late brother Maxie to ride. The horse was brought along slowly under saddle by Aubrey Chapman, Charlotte Hurst and Felicity Ward and it took a lot of persuasion for Scully to part with the bay whose progress she follows intently.

Stammschroer, who is trained by Amanda Goldsbury and Michael McNally (one of the many who attended Sunday’s Go As You Please at Tyrella), will probably compete Master Swatch at the one-day event in Ballindenisk (May 13th) before heading to Tattersalls.

There were 18 starters in the open intermediate class where the honours went to Holly Woodhead and Parkfield Breeding’s home-bred 10-year-old Parkfield Quintessential, a tall, attractive chesnut gelding by Quicksilber out of a 1.40m jumping mare by Carino Sun. The visiting combination added 7.2 cross-country time penalties to their winning dressage score of 22.5 while locally-based Joseph Murphy can be proud of completing on his first phase score with two of his four rides, particularly the second-placed Gorsehill Pearl (30.2).

“We all loved the event, it was really good fun and the horses really enjoyed the sea,” commented Woodhead who was accompanied on the trip over to Ireland by Lydia Swan, who works for her full-time, and freelance groom Alex Jackson. “My Mum was actually teaching in Ireland earlier in the week so she came up to Tyrella which was great as she rarely gets to see me compete.

“I was a bit surprised to find we had to show jump after going cross-country in the intermediate classes but that seemed to suit my horses as they all went clear,” continued Woodhead.

“I’d like to get on the Nations’ Cup team going to America in early July with Parkfield Quintessential but will do a couple of CIC3* before then and, afterwards, the CCI3* at Blenheim. I’ll be back in Ireland myself for Tatts!”