BRITISH rider Anna Stillwell made a masterful first appearance at the RDS, when landing a pillar to post win in the four-year-old young event horse championship.

Riding her own and her mother Jane’s La Vie Vivant, the Kilkenny-based rider looked a class act from the outset, and having led Wednesday’s jumping and presentation phase, progressed to prove unbeatable in the main arena. Standing just under 16hh, the daughter of Vivant Van de Heffinck may lack a few inches in height, but she more than compensates by showing huge scope both in her movement and her jump. “She’s a lovely mare with a big future,” commented judge Kai Ruder, before adding that he thought the age group was particularly strong in talent.

Based for the past year in Co Kilkenny with Andrew Williams and John Tilley (Kilkenny International), Stillwell relished every moment. “Winning in such a famous arena on such perfect ground and in this amazing atmosphere was just unbelievable and really cool,” she said afterwards.

“I’m extra grateful to even be here as I broke my collarbone immediately after the second qualifier in June and so she (and the third placed mare) has had the last month or so off and only recently came back into work.”

Stillwell spotted her pocket rocket at the Goresbridge September Sales last year. “I walked by her stable and while she was perfectly formed I thought she was too small,” she recalled. “However when I saw her jump and move I knew I couldn’t leave her behind.” Bred by Leah Duffy, the mare is the first progeny out of Ardlonan Cruising 60 (A Umonia 60) whose dam’s line goes back to Clinton.

Having worked for the then Welsh-based Williams on leaving school, Stillwell progressed to running her own young horse production yard in Somerset before relocating to Ireland last year. “I adore Ireland,” she said. “I love the attitude of the people. Everything is geared towards the young horse and it’s great to be part of it. I have had the best start being based with Andrew and John and I wouldn’t have achieved this without their guidance and support.”

Also jumping an impressive clear round and scoring very well from all three judges, Fraser Duffy shot up the leaderboard with Paul Donovan’s classy Sportsfield Boleybawn. Moving into second spot just under two marks behind the winner, the James Cassin-bred bay is a son of Carrabis Z out of Little Twigglet by Condios. He was bought last year following an appearance in the Boleybawn auction and by the time of publication he will have contested the Discovery class at Millstreet.

“He doesn’t have to do a lot more this year,” commented Donovan. “He has a brilliant temperament and has the potential to be a proper horse.”

Rounding off a most memorable morning Stillwell maintained her day one position, to pilot her own and Helen Flay’s Kool Mynta into third place. Once again foot perfect in the main arena, the daughter of Coolkeeran scored highly all round to just pip Daisy Duggan who slotted into fourth with Maurice Sheridan’s homebred Wild Heart.

Another bought from Goresbridge last September, Kool Mynta was bred by Thomas Hutchinson out of the Swedish-bred Mynta Van S by Canterbury, while Wild Heart is by EHS Land Ahoy out of Wild At Heart (Lux Z)

There were of course plenty of hard luck stories as well. The German judges Kai Ruder and Martin Plewa together with British representative Jane Tuckwell all rated the Gillian Beale King ridden Drumnaconnell Leroy very highly in terms of jump but, as is always the case, a couple of poles proved very expensive.

Also picking up a very costly penalty was young Michael Bowe who, having brilliantly claimed the Irish Draught performance class the previous day, added four penalties to his good mark with BCL Sherlock Holmes. Another to slip down the order was Luca Bortolamei who, opening in third was demoted with Fernhill Lord Bailey.