THERE were fewer competitors in this year’s Stepping Stones to Success league at Wexford Equestrian but one person who will continue to support the series is Heidi Hamilton who won Wednesday’s final leg of the TopSpec four-year-old class and the league with her Dutch Warmblood gelding Johan-Some.

“This series first started in 2013 when I won the five-year-old league with Dam Easy and Camilla (Speirs) was second on BT Cloud Nine,” stated the Co Wicklow producer.

“Both of those horses went on to compete at international three-star level while Silken Allure, who won the four-year-old league with Emma Jackson, is now at two-star level.

“Therefore, the series is living up to what it says on the tin by being a stepping stone to a horse’s eventing career. It gives them the grounding they need to move on to a bigger stage and it’s a lovely venue which is really well maintained, they have very good judges (Jennie Loriston Clarke judged the jumping and conformation phase with Ian Fearon on Wednesday) and they do everything to perfection,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton recorded a runaway win on Wednesday with Johan-Some, a bay gelding by Lexicon who is now on holiday. “Because of the weather, he hasn’t had a break since we got him and he really needs one. He was just 16.1hh when he arrived here first but is a lot taller than that now. When he comes back in we’ll decide whether to go jumping or eventing with him.”

While Hamilton was delighted with her four-year-old the league leader going into Wednesday’s final round, Joan O’Connor’s Frankfort Boy mare Greenhall Granuaile, didn’t even get into the placings.

“She had a real mare day and threw the toys out of the pram,” said the owner.

The grey’s rider Sarah Ennis had ample compensation when Stellor Quick Change won the final round of the Shires Equestrian Products five-year-old series and the league.

The winning Olympic Lux gelding was bred by his owner, Ennis’s husband Niki Potterton who said: “Because this fellow is our own, nothing was done with him last year while Sarah concentrated on clients’ horses. He is on the market.”

The rider added: “This horse is a pleasure to ride and I really enjoyed my round on him today as he has improved each time out and I just let him get on with it.

“If he’s not sold, he will do the YES series with the aim of qualifying for Dublin and, after a break, will go eventing. He’s so easy to ride and such a quick learner that I can see him competing at novice level by the end of the season.”