THE amateur riders of Eventing Ireland are in for an action-packed 2016 season, with a 32% increase in membership in the restricted section last year and an expanded, always enthusiastic, committee in place for this season.

TopSpec has confirmed that it is once again sponsoring a National Amateur Eventing League for all three amateur grades. TopSpec league points are up for grabs at every national event this year, both north and south of the border, with the exception of the EI National Championships.

Rosanna kicked off the TopSpec league with 28 competitors lining out. The small CNC* class was led from the off by local Wicklow man Gerry Reid and his own Raheenwood Nobel.

Reid, a Wicklow-based heating contractor and his lovely colored gelding were debuting at one-star level so even some penalties in the show jumping phase couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

Their sole challenger, Pat Dickenson, uncharacteristically parted ways with his mount Rua around the country. Dickenson, who frequently builds and designs show jumping courses in the Leinster region, previously hunted his mount with the East Wicklow Harriers before taking up eventing. Happily the pair redeemed themselves with a placing in the Bray Harriers Hunter Trials back at the same venue only a few days later.

Frequent amateur competitor Zoe Kavanagh lined out with an attractive Harlequin gelding, Reminisce One, to impress dressage Judge Lynne Cassidy and lead the EI 100 amateur division on 28 penalties. Only the addition of six time penalties cross-country opened the door for closest rival Nicola Hobson and Cuffesgrange Kings Quality to steal the red rosette.

James Green filled third place with Boolagh Golf Leaf, a mare originally campaigned by Olivia Holohan.

The EI 90 amateur class was dominated by Hilltop Diamond and Wendy Seymour, who led from start to finish on their dressage mark. Linda McGuirke and Huntingfield’s Chance finished five points adrift in second place with an equally clean sheet.

The Fell family in Ballindenisk played host to leg two of the TopSpec Amateur League last weekend.

Anna Lavery and her own Krafty Harry were worthy winners as the only combination to finish the EI 100A without penalties to add. Lavery, who juggles campaigning her 12-year-old gelding with running her pharmacy in Kildare, is a familiar face on the amateur circuit and has Superwoman-like organisational skills. Originally campaigned by Lavery’s brother-in-law Fraser Duffy, Krafty is her longtime partner and is rarely out of the placings.

Second place was filled by Laura Shae and Forever A Lady, pushing Jane Grace into third only on the optimum timing rule.

Welwyn View was especially impressive for Grace over the fences and she later confessed she thought her talented mare talented mare would be even better “if I only left her alone.”

Amateur committee chairman John Joe Grace proved it is not only the professional riders who have to put up with over-enthusiastic mounts at this time of year.

His 12-year-old thoroughbred Mon Plaisir was rather naughty in the ‘stressage’ phase and Grace wisely decided to save him for another day.