THERE were only eight Open competitors last weekend at Tattersalls where the Connolly’s Red Mills/Irish Pony Club national eventing championships came back on stream following a year’s break due to Covid-19.

The pandemic could be blamed for the low turn-out but numbers have dropped considerably in recent years at this level. Many ‘older’ riders have chosen to compete under Eventing Ireland rules and were thus in action at the EI one-day event in Blackstairs or at the international in Millstreet. Open riders could choose to qualify for the weekend through IPC events or a mixture of IPC and EI competitions.

The impressive winner, and the only rider to complete on their dressage score (37.5), was the Carberry Branch’s Momo Sheehy with the Dutch Warmblood gelding E Warrantsson. The 12-year-old, who is by Warrant out of the Concorde mare Maigrade, was previously campaigned up to CCI3*-S level by Britain’s Holly Woodhead. Sheehy has partnered him in five EI100 (J) classes to date with a best-placed position of second at Kilguilkey (2).

Second place on the final leaderboard was filled by Westmeath’s Isobelle Tunney on the 12-year-old Tabasco Van Erpekom gelding Cashelard Eurostar (50), who won an EI100 (J) at Hillcrest (4) where Sheehy was fifth on E Warrantsson, while, back to last weekend, Nenagh’s Jack Minahan finished third on Killard Gem (62).

Two dressage rosettes were presented on Saturday as both Waterford’s Orla Treacy with Caisleann Rí and Emma Dunne of Laois riding Belizma achieved a score of 33.8. The dressage turn-out prize, sponsored by Simon Porter Saddlery in all classes, was won by Emma Keogh of the Kildare Branch on Feileacan.

The Connolly’s Red Mills league winners for the 2021 season were Westmeath’s Isobelle Tunney with Cashelard Eurostar (Open), Wicklow’s Sophie Bohm Leahy on Oakfields Maya’s Wish (Intermediate), Kildare’s Lauren Keatley with Celoso Ixii (Intro Intermediate), The Kingdom’s Yvonne Daly on Woodfield Prancer (Junior) and Mia Perry of North Kilkenny riding Mulvey’s Marble (Under 12s).