THE first half of the Eventing Ireland Northern Region season came to a close last Saturday when Andrew and Laura Napier hosted a one-day event for the second week running at Hazeldene where attention to detail is paramount and obvious.

The NR pulled out all the stops since March to keep the sport of eventing going in this country, their efforts being appreciated and acknowledged by competitors of all levels in other regions, particularly those seeking MERs, some of whom were in action on Saturday.

“We riders really have to thank the Northern Region for providing opportunities for us to compete, it meant a lot,” commented Co Laois-based Cathal Daniels. “Personally, I would like to thank Dora (Beacom, regional event co-ordinator) for being so very accommodating and helpful.”

Daniels, who had three rides on Saturday, landed the eight-runner EI110 (Open) on Sarah Hughes’s Barrichello who he last evented back in July 2022. The combination were lying second (26.1 penalties) after dressage but fell further behind Sian Coleman and Kilroe Frolic (24.5) with a fence down show jumping.

However, Coleman took it handy across the country and, with the addition of 18.4 time penalties, dropped to third behind Daniels and Barrichello, who completed on 38.9, and Steven Smith who was competing Ella Boyle’s 10-year-old Samgemjee gelding Samiro Cruze MC (41.1) for just the second time.

“I’m delighted for his owner and am delighted to be back riding this fellow,” said Daniels of the Anglo European Studbook-registered Balou du Rouet gelding who he partnered to win a CCI4*-S at Barroca d’Alva in November 2020.

“He’s 16 now and these older horses have to be managed properly. He’s entered in the CCI3*-S at Millstreet while his end-of-season target is Pau.”

Daniels will have to make sure he heads in right direction next week as he spent three days at Balmoral Show, competing in the CSI classes, headed home on Friday evening and left early the next morning for Hazeldene. On Tuesday, he was due to compete five horses in the RDS qualifiers at The Meadows. “I’ll be speaking with a northern accent if I keep going like this!” quipped Daniels.

Smith lands EI100

Steven Smith had four other rides on Saturday, never placing worse than fifth and finishing first, second and fifth in the 27-runner EI100. Here, he backed up his Hazeldene (1) success when completing on his winning dressage score with Marshall and Sarah Riley’s Dutch Warmblood gelding Watermolen Cooley (21.8 penalties), a seven-year-old by Voltaire. He also finished on his dressage score with the runner-up, his own Lachain Lance (23.5).

Another combination recording a repeat win for the Smith Brothers Eventing yard was Casey Webb with Valerie Breen’s home-bred Traditional ISH mare Ballygreenan Break Point. They made all in the six-runner EI115 where they added just 1.2 cross-country time penalties to their winning dressage score (37.7). The nine-year-old Pointilliste bay is out of Breen’s top show mare Banglestown Imp (by Master Imp).