Margie McLoone

THERE has been much debate as to whether the Irish economy is improving or not but, if eventing was taken as a barometer, it would show a rising trend as 2014 saw a record number of entries, roughly 8,900, at 49 events.

It was good to learn that 1,226 animals were registered with Eventing Ireland but there were still 2,178 day registrations purchased along with 1,270 day memberships. The number of registered non-riding owners stood at 391 by the end of the season with 754 registered competitors.

Neither the beginning nor the end of the 2014 national eventing season went as scheduled. The start was delayed when Ballinaclough, due to run on Sunday, March 9th was cancelled and, in fact, no Eventing Ireland one-day events took place at the Co Waterford venue during the year.

A huge entry was made for the following Sunday’s Monart fixture but, unfortunately, this too was called off late because of wet ground conditions. Kilguilkey House very quickly organised an event for the Monday, St Patrick’s Day to launch the campaign.

A very successful event was staged at Monart in July and another big entry was received for the final one-day at the Co Wexford venue in early October. Disappointingly for many, this did not take place, with the season ending at Annaharvey later that month. The organisers of Monart have not made any application for Eventing Ireland dates for 2015, but they have advertised a three-leg series of their own starting on Sunday, March 15th when two EI events are also scheduled.

Millstreet, the highly acclaimed venue for the pony European Championships in dressage, eventing and show jumping in mid-summer, next hosted an Eventing Ireland one-day in late September. Riders were impressed with the Mike Etherington Smith-designed course and appreciated the fact that the cross-country track was spiked and roped with well-decorated fences. It was also significant that as much attention was paid to the courses for the lower graded classes as to those for the higher. Millstreet will stage two national one-days next spring and an international in late August.

YOUNG HORSES

Irish Horse World added a new column ‘One To Watch’ to its eventing coverage in 2014, where smart young horses were highlighted. Some of these have already left these shores for new homes.

The Northern Region celebrated 50 years of eventing in mid-June when a large crowd was entertained by interviews with Olympic riders, amazing old video footage and a wonderful display of memorabilia.

From the first report of the season, written by Sally Parkyn about Kilguilkey House, mention was made of horses being targeted at Le Lion d’Angers. In the end, 20 six-year-old horses achieved the necessary FEI qualifications but three was the maximum each country could send.

Only 10 seven-year-olds qualified for the world breeding championships for young event horses and, of those, just five travelled to France. Seven-year-olds will have more opportunities to qualify next season in home internationals.

Two events were brought to a premature halt in 2014. On the May bank holiday, swirling fog reduced visibility in the dressage and show jumping phased so badly that the fixture at Fort Arthur had to be abandoned. In August, deteriorating ground conditions resulted in the cross-country phase of the three EI 90 classes at Vesey Lodge being abandoned.

LEADING RIDER

Steven Smith was the TRI Leading Rider of the Year and he worked hard to achieve 127 points, competing both days most weekends. He picked up extra mounts due to his brother Trevor being injured but has always been the regular partner of Ringfort Valentino on whom he claimed the Hit Air O/CNC* series.

Among the Gilford rider’s other multiple winners during the year were his own My Ballymac Bay, Diane Harron Eakin’s Ringfort Rubicon, Gina Johnson’s Hill Drummer and Bonito and Neil McKay’s Knocknacarry Boy. Although they never managed to win a class, Smith’s high placings with Bridgehousestud River Wild saw Jessica Acheson’s Riverland Roi eight-year-old claim the title of leading mare.

It is significant that, when he was in the country, Joseph Murphy, who was second on the riders’ table with 113 points, also campaigned on consecutive days, as did other competitors with big yards based in the Northern Region.

In contrast, few from the southern half of the country regularly travelled in the opposite direction, including Fraser Duffy, who finished third on the leaderboard with 90 points.

Fernhill Sport Horses’ stable jockey made only two forays into the Northern Region. On the second occasion, he competed at Scarvagh where, although he withdrew Primus from the Connolly’s Red Mills Super League championship (won by the Murphy-partnered Westwinds Hercules), he was presented with his prize as Super League winner on the 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding.

One of many horses which saw Carol Gee being crowned leading owner, Primus and Bridgehousestud River Wild on 61 points were narrowly beaten to the title of leading horse by Jill Murphy, Alison Schmutz and Andrew Tinker’s Sportsfield Othello (62). Ridden by Joseph Murphy, the 13-year-old Ricardo Z gelding was also leading international horse while his stable-companion, Westwinds Hercules, helped Wexford’s Alice Kehoe top the national breeders’ rankings.

Currently show jumping in China, Brian Morrison stayed a lot closer to his home base of Hyde Equine in Glanmire for much of the eventing season. Being a dual-discipline rider restricted his opportunities in this sphere, but he still managed to win the Equest Pramox CNC** series with his mother Niamh’s Ard VDL Douglas mare Cloonacauneen Black Beauty.

STAR TURN

Our under-age teams performed brilliantly abroad and it’s good to see so many top class young riders at home awaiting their turn to star on the international stage.

Tredstep sponsored two junior one-star leagues during the year. Team gold medallist Susie Berry won the spring section with the French-bred grey gelding Bolero Ste Hermelle, while Lydia Dawson claimed the autumn series on another grey, the Connemara Gloster Boy.

The new Wilkie & Flanagan CNCJ* series, run over six events, placed the emphasis on clear rounds in both jumping phases, and here the winner was Caoimhe Murphy and the nine-year-old chesnut gelding Tiktok Copper, who only had one pole down all season.

The Hammarstrom twins from Sweden were active competitors on the pony scene this season and, riding King’s Dumbledore, Klara finished second in the 2014 hydeequine.com EI 100P series behind Hannah Adams and her father Michael’s Toberpatrick Flash. The Maynooth combination also won the championship at Kilguilkey House international, ahead of Jessica Keuhnle and Golden Grove Solitaire.

ISH EVENTING SERIES

The final round of the Irish Sport Horse eventing series was held in early September at Scarvagh House, where Meath’s Elizabeth Power completed a double in the six-year-old CNC* division, winning both the day’s competition and the league with her mother Margaret’s Creevagh Miss Ferro SL.

The bay S Creevagh Ferro mare, who was bred in Co Monaghan by Ronnie Hollinger, is the only foal out of the Belgian Warmblood Vendetta d’Aulne. Creevagh Miss Ferro was spotted show jumping in Cavan by the Powers and is a real eye-catcher. She qualified for Le Lion d’Angers but a nick sustained competing in the CIC* for young horses at Osberton prevented her from travelling.

Seventh in the final EI 100 leg at Scarvagh, the Michael O’Toole-owned and ridden Night And Light was the comprehensive winner of the five-year-old league.

Second in the inaugural four-year-old series in 2013 when she won the last leg at Grove, the skewbald mare was bred in Co Wexford by Margaret Murphy, who was at the final to receive her breeder’s prize. The well-named Night And Light is by Cavalier Two For Joy out of a Mummy’s Luck mare.

Beaten by half a penalty point into second on the day in the EI 90 class, Nessa Briody just failed to do the double on the four-year-old league winner, her mother Mary’s Finnsceal.

A Womanizer gelding, Finnsceal was bred in Co Galway by John Headd out of a Ghareeb mare. Having competed in two previous legs of the series (winning at Ballinamona) and in the Masterclass at Camphire international, the grey warmed up for Scarvagh by taking fifth place in the EI 100J class at Tattersalls.

Creevagh Miss Ferro finished second in the TRI EI 100 spring series to the Alison Holden-owned and ridden 10-year-old Kilronan Beauty, while Louise Bloomer claimed the autumn series on her mother Jane Bloomer’s six-year-old Guidam gelding Hollybrook Star.