MAJOR changes were made to the Knotts Bakery young event horse championships this year, some of which were welcomed more than others by owners and riders.

The decision to hold all phases on one day, in this instance Thursday, proved a hit with everyone, but the fact they took place one after another in the Main Arena did not meet with universal approval.

It was a good spectacle for onlookers but even they were conscious of the fact that those horses on their jumping rounds were often tackling a fence quite close to where others were doing their dressage and that they finished their gallop down towards the dressage arena as well.

“I thought it was very hard on the four-year-olds,” said Colin Halliday who won that section on Lisa Rosbotham’s home-bred mare Rosalent. “It’s important that this class continues to have its jumping phase in the Main Arena but I think it will have to be thought out again before next year. I suppose I should say that my mare took it all in her stride and I really believe that she is one of the nicest four-year-olds I have ever sat on.”

Rosalent is by the owner’s Dutch Warmblood jumping stallion Valent out of a seven time-winning thoroughbred mare by Roselier. The winner’s two-year-older full-brother Jewelent finished third in the ISH CNC1* for six-year-olds at Rosanna (2) on Sunday.

The grey gelding Grange Ash Sparrow, who won the five-year-old championship under Co Meath owner Orla Cassidy, is also out of a thoroughbred mare but he is by a Connemara, Grange Finian Sparrow.

“I thought the format was very good, apart from the horses galloping towards the dressage arena, and, of course, this is a fabulous show,” said Cassidy who is on maternity leave from her job as a maths teacher. “I was thrilled with my mare’s performance, as she didn’t put a foot wrong, but as she is a bit small compared to the others, I couldn’t believe it when I was called back in never mind winning the class! I have to thank Nicola Ennis for the massive help she has given me.”

On Sunday, Cassidy was at Rosanna (2) where she brought up a weekend double in the EI100 Amateur class on the Balmoral winner’s full-brother Grange Red Sparrow, a six-year-old bay who is on the market. Bred in Co Wexford by Melissa Levinge, the pair are out of the unraced Moscow Society mare Olga Poloski whose 2004 gelding, Versace Biscuit (by Templebready Fear Bui) was second at Glenpatrick on Saturday in the CNCJ1* class under Katie Riley who has him entered in the CCIJ1* class at Tattersalls next week.