WHILE this newspaper has covered in depth the recent public sales of event horses, private transactions have also taken place around the country with Ard Cluedo having been purchased from Caroline Bjoerk for a Junior rider based with the Dumas family in Somerset.

Caroline didn’t breed the six-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding but owned him for a considerable period, having bought the son of Luidam as a six-week-old foal from Heather Wright, along with his dam, Cloverhill Girl. Twenty years of age at the time, that Clover Hill mare bred one foal for Caroline, a 2011 colt who, now gelded and named DSL The Entertainer, has been show jumped, most recently by Heather’s son Conan who is Caroline’s godson.

DSL The Entertainer was first competed by Melanie Young, Ard Cluedo’s partner throughout his eventing career. However, the chesnut was ridden by Kellie Allen when he made his Future Event Horse League debut in June 2014, running hors concours in the four-year-old section of the Rincoola round of the League.

Melanie then took over as rider and, having won at both Dollanstown and Tattersalls, the combination finished second in the League to Stellor Hotshot. They competed in four EI 100 classes that autumn, finishing third first time out at Tattersalls and winning on their final appearance at that level in October at Annaharvey.

WINNING FORM

This year Young and Ard Cluedo had seven starts in national novice company, winning at Killossery (2) and Annaharvey (2), and placing second in the CIC* for six-year-olds at Millstreet/Drishane Castle in late August which put them firmly on course for Le Lion d’Angers.

Irish Horse World eventing and sales correspondent Sally Parkyn had made enquiries earlier about buying the horse but, in fairness to all, Caroline decided to hold on to Ard Cluedo until his appearance in France where, given a super ride by Melanie, he finished ninth on his dressage score in the one-star class. As Sally was at the French event she again approached Caroline regarding a sale and, with the potential rider visiting Dollanstown a week later to try Ard Cluedo, the deal was quickly done and dusted.