STEPPING STONES

LEAGUE WEXFORD

THE fourth leg of the Stepping Stones to Success League was held at Wexford Equestrian on Wednesday and, as has become traditional, all jumping rounds were recorded by IrishSportTV thanks to sponsorship from TopSpec Horse Feeds.

Ian Fearon judged the jumping phase on his own as, thanks to her great training success in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National on Monday, and in advance of next week’s National Hunt Festival at Punchestown, the scheduled guest judge, Eventing Ireland president Jessica Harrington, had to cry off as she was under pressure to talk to various media outlets.

On finals day next Wednesday, April 26th, Fearon will be joined in the Derby arena by British Olympian, leading coach and breeder Jennie Loriston-Clarke, while Anne Marie Dunphy, who judged the dressage phase this week, returns to the indoor arena.

Brian Lusk will judge the conformation phase which takes place immediately after dressage. Horses competing in the Irish Horse Welfare Trust Thoroughbred Club class will not be judged for conformation.

Dan Alderson, who only moved to Ireland at the beginning of the year, has made a big impression in this year’s League and the 22-year-old took the top two placings in the Botanica International four-year-old class on Wednesday with horses belonging to his boss at Belline Equestrian, Richard Ames.

Topping the scoring on 216.5 points was the OBOS Quality 004 gelding Ballyvillane OBOS, a winner here also in weeks two and three. The chesnut, who was bred in Co Tipperary by Tom Gleeson out of a Young Convinced mare, held a narrow lead after dressage (54.5) over Ger Burke’s CFS Olympic Lucy (54) and won the jumping phase (162) ahead of his stable-companion Derena Super Star (161) who eventually finished joint fifth (202.5).

Alderson finished runner-up on the Dutch Warmblood gelding Italy (205.5) who was purchased unbroken last year at the September sales in Goresbridge.

Another chesnut, this fellow is by Zavall VDL - Atriomf, by Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve, bd de Radstake

“I was delighted with all my horses again this week,” said Alderson.

“They were very settled in the jumping phase although the course was quite twisty and the fences came up quickly off the turns. I have to work on Italy’s canter but this was just his second outing and you’d have to be pleased with him.

“The four-year-olds will get a break after the finals and those ready to do the Dublin qualifiers will do so but, if they are not ready, they won’t be pushed. I’d hope to do some 90s with them at the end of the season.” This weekend, Alderson is competing at Ballindenisk where he rides Cloud Atlas in the CIC3* and Flying Finish in the CIC2*.

Pleased with the results his horses are achieving under Alderson, Ames thanked his present staff at Belline Equestrian (where they could do with another rider) and also those who worked for him last year, Felicity and Karen.

A fence down in the jumping phase proved costly for the Louise Codd-ridden CFS Olympic Lucy as this grey mare, a joint winner in round one of the League, completed on 204 points for third.