MICHELLE Kenny had difficulty finding the first fence because of darkness and dense fog when she walked the cross-country track at 7.15am but she had no problems later in the day.

The River Lodge Eventing rider, who finished second and fifth on Mayheath Myway and Eurelia A in the open intermediate class, landed the intro class with the Shutterfly gelding Shutter PZ, the bay completing on his winning dressage score of 28 penalties. For good measure, Kenny’s fourth mount on the day, Lightening, placed eighth, on his flatwork mark, in the pre-novice class.

Sourced in Belgium through Philip Horgan of Carlton Stables, Shutter PZ arrived at RLE’s Bridgetown base four months ago broken and riding and he made his EI debut at Grove the previous Sunday. The five-year-old is out of a mare by the international Grand Prix winner Cash (by Cor de la Bryere).

“He was green at Grove but I just couldn’t believe how good he was across country here,” said Kenny. “His temperament is fantastic, he has the looks and, of course, being by Sir Shutterfly, has the jump. He really impressed me today and should make up into a very good horse.

“Mayheath Myway has been very consistent all season. He’s for sale and would be a very nice buy for a junior or young rider. Today was my first time to compete with Eurelia A, who has been produced beautifully by the Coleman family and I only have her as Brian has gone to the States for a year.

“As I just got her last Monday, I thought we might have a spin around a novice track first but the owners entered the mare in the open intermediate! She was foot-perfect the whole way and the plan is to work on her dressage over the winter and see how she far up the grades she can go.”

STABLE COMPANION

RLE River Rock completed on her first phase score of 31.5 to finish second to her stable-companion in the Intro. The five-year-old Salerno mare was ridden by Jackilynn Breslin who earlier landed the Junior C with the only double clear on Paddy Bryne’s home-bred BGS Buttercup (33 penalties).

This six-year-old Bread And Butter bay, who was having her fourth start, is out of the unraced Over The River mare Kilmore Equity, dam also of the Byrnes’ thoroughbred eventing stallion BGS Electric Line (by Power Blade).

Julia Crowe held a marginal lead after dressage (32) but, having show jumped clear, parted company from Izar De S’Arcaite at fence five on the cross-country course, the T for Tipperary hanging long.

Eleven combinations started in the CNCP* class and they were all judged to be of a similar standard in dressage with the marks ranging from 31 to 35 penalties.

Fethard’s Romy McCarthy was one of two who shared the lead after the flatwork phase and she remained on that score to record her first win at this level with Aoife’s Star. Tom McCarthy’s six-year-old Connemara gelding is by Coosheen Stormboy out of the Gorteen Boy mare Aran Lady.

The optimum time ruling had to be brought into play to decide the second, third and fourth placings with Billie-Mae Geoghegan (Skylark Kruise), Lucy O’Donnell (Highbury Lad) and Becky Coonan (Ruaile Buile Bailey) all having a three-phase total of 31.5.

James Phillips and Ballyvaden Yoshi, who shared the lead after dressage, dropped out of contention with eight show jumping penalties followed by a glance-off at fence eight, the offset gate.

BENEFIT

Warrington Pony Club member Charlotte Teehan showed the benefit of her dressage training to record an all-the-way win in the Pony C on Louise Lyons’s Farran Zephyr Blue, another Connemara gelding.

Teehan and the eight-year-old Templebready Fear Bui gelding, who were having their fifth start in an EI event, completed on 27 penalties while the Knockany winners, Isabelle Comerford and Ballycurraghan EC Cuba, had to settle for second on 31.5.