MEATH’s Tony Kennedy finished best of the Irish in the CCI4* in Pau last weekend, partnering his father Con’s Westeria Lane into 18th place on the pair’s first start in four-star company.

The Ratoath combination were languishing in 56th position after dressage but came into their own over Pierre Michelet’s technical, twisting and undulating cross-country track. “My horse runs best when fresh and felt very good on Saturday,” said Kennedy of his one-eyed Rantis Diamond gelding.

“When I walked the course I liked it but, I was late out on Saturday, and it was causing carnage. When I went back to get ready for my round I spoke to Dad and we decided that I should stick with my plan to go all the straight routes. The first half of the course was very intense but, once we got on to the racecourse, I was able to let him get into a rhythm. He was fantastic all the way.

“Somehow I managed to stop my watch at 40 seconds so I just went for it and we were only just over the time (2.8 penalties). On Sunday, he was distracted going into the first couple of fences as he would never have seen so many people. He always struggles in combinations – perhaps with just the one eye he cannot make out all the poles – and ended up with 16 penalties which dropped us down four places.

“However, I was delighted with the way the event went as I know now that we can be competitive at this level. We didn’t get any of the training available to those on the high performance squad but I know my horse well and know what I want to do with him. We’ll concentrate on flat work and show jumping over the winter,” concluded the 23-year-old.

South Co Dublin’s Aidan Keogh paid a second competitive visit to Pau last week with the aim of going clear over a four-star cross-country track.

This he did with Paddy Hughes’s 15-year-old Kings Master gelding Master Tredstep on whom he had picked up 20 jumping penalties here four years ago and earlier this season at Rolex Kentucky. With 12 show jumping penalties on Sunday, they completed in 24th place (83.9).

“I thought the course was a lot tougher than in 2013 but Pierre Michelet (course designer) did offer us a rare option at the first water which I took and was pleased I did given the amount of trouble it caused. Okay, I picked up a lot of time penalties (20) but I achieved what I came out here to do and was very pleased with my horse who was off for a long time after his previous visit here.

“I drove out in my lorry and gave a lift to James O’Haire and Alison Holden,” continued the head of Tredstep Ireland. “We had an enjoyable trip and there was a good camp among the Irish.

“It was great that (Horse Sport Ireland’s senior high performance director of eventing) Sally Corscadden and Vina Buller came out but it’s a pity that, unlike most other nations, we don’t have our own team vet and team coaches. Sally uses the funds at her disposal very efficiently but we need more financial backing to be competitive.”

NEWCOMER

Hawthorn Farm’s James O’Haire was another to make his four-star debut last week, placing 31st of the 39 finishers (62 starters) with Patricia Heffernan’s 11-year-old Warrenstown You 2 mare China Doll.

Unfortunately, O’Haire didn’t have the best start to cross-country day as the bit he was using (as he had done all year) was deemed illegal by one of the stewards and he had to quickly change into a simple snaffle.

In an otherwise excellent round, China Doll just got too strong at fence seven, the Bergerie Point AB, and she ducked out at the second element, a corner. With time penalties plus two fences down on Sunday, they finished on a score of 98.7.

Unfortunately, the other three Irish combinations failed to complete. Just second out on the cross-country course and going extremely well, Aoife Clark and Fernhill Adventure, who were on 45.2 after dressage, parted company at the second element of the second water at 26, the Dome Canard AB.

Paul Donovan was eliminated when Sportsfield Pretty Lady, who had already picked up 20 jumping penalties, fell at the narrow brush over a ditch B element of the Haie/Forestier combination at 11ABC while, heading the Irish challenge following the first phase on 43.2, Jonty Evans retired Cooley Rorkes Drift after the 11-year-old Courage II gelding had a refusal at the third element of the troublesome Tronc Triple Brush at 9ABC, a deep triple brush skinny.

“The results may not have gone the way one would have thought, but we now have more combinations to consider for next year and beyond,” said Corscadden.

“It was a typical French cross-country course – intense with no let-ups. It was twisting and undulating with curving lines and very tight angles. That’s how it is these days at this level and we are going to have to focus more on the technical side of cross-country.

Corscadden continued: “Aoife was very unlucky as, had she gone later in the day, she might have considered going on three strides instead of two and have gone around clear. Her horse is very exciting.

“Paul’s mare is only nine and has done very little. This was a big ask for her but she has a good jump and is careful. It was disappointing to see Jonty have that issue at nine but the horse made up too much ground between the first two elements and just couldn’t make the third.

“James was unfortunate to have that issue with the bit as he and the mare put in a promising round and there is a lot of improvement to come from them.

“Aidan and Tony came out with specific targets in mind and both achieved their aims. Tony’s horse had only competed three times this year so this was a remarkable achievement.”