LISGARVAN House opened the Leinster eventing season last Sunday when staging a keenly awaited and well supported fixture. Currently running as one of just four events in the region’s diminishing calendar, the Corrigan family’s well-presented venue delivered tracks, which as usual tested in both jumping disciplines. Beautifully built, technical and imaginative, these ran over near to perfect going, and delivered a good balance of faults across the board.

In fact, senior winning rider James O’Haire aptly summed the courses up by saying: “There were plenty of good questions throughout and it’s a great sharpening up event. It’s probably not for a green first-timer, but I really like to bring my horses here before an international. Too often we run in our one-day events here, and then go over to England and have our eyes opened.”

This view was shared by organiser Clive Corrigan who confirmed: “This is the idea, so that when riders go home from here they are able to gauge how well or not they are going and what further preparations they have to do.”

Certainly, the Paul and Allen Brady, and Clive Corrigan-designed courses rewarded training, accuracy and forward riding at all levels. The potato box combination (13) in the EI115 classes had caused a few to scratch their heads, but aside from three glance-offs in the first class, it ultimately rode as planned.

Summing up, Corrigan concluded by offering thanks to all who supported the event, the volunteers and of course the team at home working tirelessly to put it all together.

POPULAR WIN

There was no more popular winner on the day than James O’Haire who landed the EI115 (O) with his four-star partner China Doll. This was a timely victory, as unknown to many, James contracted a virus in the early spring which, in turn, led to a more serious but fortunately improving heart condition. In February he was forced to reduce his yard occupancy from 27 to just 12, and as a result is taking things (by his standards) far more slowly this season.

An outing to the five-star fixture in Luhmuhlen had originally been pencilled in for China Doll, but as O’Haire explained: “I’m taking things week by week. This has been a boost today – China Doll is better for my heart than any doctor!”

Predictably, the experienced mare made little of the troublesome potato box combination (13), and leading the field of five on her dressage mark of 33.00, she stayed ahead of the speedier Anna Kelly, aboard her home-produced Something Special. The remaining three runners all picked up 20 penalties at the aptly named fence 13, leaving Christine O’Donnell (Blessington Prince) as the fastest of the trio in third.

Following a beneficial six-week spell of training and competing with JP Sheffield in England, Lucy Hancock and Whitetree Sky returned to home soil to take the spoils in the restricted EI115. Heading a class which was largely decided by pace, the local duo added just 1.6 penalties to their opening score, thus ricocheting up the leaderboard in the process. This was only the second run at the level for the daughter of Kings Master, who will probably bypass Tattersalls in favour of a later international.

The clearly off form dressage leader Daenerys (Heli Nannimainen) walked home after accumulative refusals, leaving Luke Coen aboard the clean jumping Stroke of Genius to fill second, from Louise Bloomer with her smart intermediate debutante Shannondale Icarus.

SISTER ACT

It was a good day at the office for the Ennis sisters Sarah and Nicola, who proved unbeatable in all three senior EI110 divisions. First up, Sarah teamed up with Elish Arkwright and Sarah Odlum’s dun mare Tullabeg Tango (Tullabeg Fusion) to head the open sector from the front. Posting a dressage score of 26.8, she had no margin for error, and was chased the whole way by the similarly foot-perfect Fraser Duffy (Fernhill Sky High) as well as third-placed Fergal Nesbit (Apollo Landing). The seven-year-old daughter of Tullabeg Fusion was a 2016 Goresbridge Go For Gold graduate, as was Ennis’s second winner, Grantstown Jackson who netted a restricted division. The latter, produced such an outstanding test (20.3) he had the luxury of carrying four penalties from the jumping phase and still won by six marks.

In a class in which all but two of the 19 runners returned home clear in the country, Ennis also filled second with the smart first EI110 timer Hacklim Moxie (by Puissance) from Patrick Byrne and BGS Blue Moon).

Deputising for owner and amateur rider Simone Brown, Nicola Ennis picked up the reins on the nine-year-old Global Merlot to head the remaining sector. A son of Lancelot, who as his name suggests was sourced from Brian Morrison and Chris Hunt’s Global Sport Horses, the gelding was competitive on the flat (30.5) and further stamped his authority after jumping two immaculate clear rounds.

One of just six double clears, he completed ahead of a busy Patrick Byrne (Whispering Lux) and Ian Cassalls, whose Woodend Farm Jack OD has not picked up a jumping error for the past 12 months. The track took a bit of negotiating, and although not affecting the winner, the roll top (6) and the second double hedge (12) claimed several notable scalps. The hardest luck story went to Sian Colman and Pynstown Star who slipped up on the flat when turning for home.