A TRIO of the youngest riders in the class filled the top three placings in the CCI1*-Intro at the Kilguilkey House International last weekend, headed by Co Carlow’s Tiggy Hancock.

Since turning 14 towards the end of January, Hancock has been eager to take on her seniors and did so at international level on three ponies at Kilguilkey. She finished 34th and 49th in the CCI2*-S on Coppenagh Spring Sparrow and Corries Whiskey respectively before completing on her dressage score in the CCI1*-Intro with Monarch Of The Glen (27.9).

The winner of the Faith Ponsonby and Joanne Jarden-judged flat work phase was Co Meath-based New Zealander Amanda Goldsbury who moved ahead of Hancock when achieving a score of 23.4 on the ex-racehorse Port Sunshine. Unfortunately, Goldsbury’s hold on the top spot was short-lived as the six-year-old Urban Poet gelding, who pulled up in a point-to-point maiden in mid-November and was having just his fifth eventing start at Kilguilkey, picked up 14 show jumping penalties.

Left in the lead once more, Hancock had no problems in the jumping phases with the very-experienced Monarch Of The Glen to win ahead of Matthew Love on Cloughreagh Charlie (29.1), who competed in European pony championships under Love’s siblings Holly (2018) and Timmy (2016), and Junior rider Chloe Fagan on another ex-racehorse, Loughnavalley (31.5).

Five of the 29 starters didn’t finish. Brian Morrison withdrew Global Lilliehof (29.9) after dressage; Michael McNally was eliminated in the show jumping ring with Sweet Rolo while the Godfrey Gibbons-ridden Milchem Free Spirit was withdrawn following that phase having added 9.6 penalties to his dressage score (29.8).

Two combinations were eliminated on the final leg: Rosemary Nesbitt was awarded the big ‘E’ when continuing without jumping fence seven, having stopped there twice with Mougins, while Co Meath-based British rider Christine Brooks jumped the wrong fence 11 on Kingcarra Bartons Lake.

Five riders had one stop on course, the most noteworthy being Leah Knight who had been well-placed with Aghagallon (29.3).

Monarch Of The Glen was previously leased from Sarah Riley (whose daughter Izzy represented Ireland on the 2003 gelding at the 2015 European pony championships) and Katie Bartlett but is now in the ownership of the Hancock family.

Ballindenisk plans

When Tiggy first took over the ride on the pony, they started in the working hunter sphere where they won two Horse of the Year qualifiers and two Burghley Gold Cup qualifiers. They only started eventing together this season and brought up a four-timer on their fourth start at the weekend.

Commenting on the CCI1*-Intro cross-country course, the young rider said: “It was quite tricky and rode fast. The ground was fairly good.

“I was delighted with all three of my ponies and will probably head to Ballindenisk with them now. I am trained in dressage by Sue Smallman and for jumping by Ger O’Brien and Sam Watson.”