THE final of this year’s Berts Properties eventing starter series, run by the Western Region of Eventing Ireland, was held on Easter Monday at Galway Equestrian Centre, where the judges were Jean Gill (flatwork) and Nicky Roncoroni (performance).

On a cold, windy but dry day, the Derryronane Stud five-year-old class was the best supported with 15 starters, eight of whom were clear over a technical track. Fortunately for Jason Doerflinger, who had a fence down with Cody’s Delight (Vancouver - Glynnwood Atermie, by Mermus R), the brown Irish Sport Horse gelding had established a clear lead on 61.5 following the flatwork phase and was also highly-rated (71) by Roncoroni for a total of 178.5.

Milchem Equestrian-based Scottish international event rider Becky Scott finished second with her own ISH mare RDM Ring Of The Night (by Vivant van de Heffinck), whose total of 170 included the class’s highest performance score (71.5). Scott and the Jim Seymour-bred bay recorded a clear round, as did the third-placed pairing of Joyce Veld and Rachel Counihan’s ISH gelding Dundrum Candy Cruise (by Sligo Candy Boy) who completed on 169.5.

Cody’s Delight has been campaigned in this series by Doerflinger, but his owner Vicky Foster was in the saddle when he earlier contested the Region’s combined training series. He was home-bred by Foster’s partner Gabriel Mullins and has been produced slowly to give him the chances his owner thinks he warrants.

In the 12-runner Sligo Candy Boy four-year-old final, Doerflinger had to settle for second (166.5) on the performance phase winner DS Smoke N Gun, a bay son of DS Shotgun, and for third (164.5) with the flat phase winner Milchem Mirage, a bay son of Tyson.

The win here went the way of Creevagh Stables’ Tommy Considine, a staunch supporter of this series, who jumped a clear round with the Zangersheide gelding Kadonius (Kassander Van’t Roosakker Z - Jolie-Rijke, by Fire), whom he holds in high regard.

George Kelly had two rides in the 12-runner Milchem Equestrian ponies’ class, where he recorded a runaway success with Laura Clarke Geraghty’s six-year-old chesnut mare Miss Lexi (179 points). They jumped clear, as did the second and third-placed pairings of Ciara Dennigan on Flower Of Roo (169.5) and Elisa O’Connor riding Kelly’s Glory (163).

The winner of Monday’s Sea Warrior Sea Supplements class was Ronan Freeney, who finished fifth in the pony class with Rathmorrissey Blossom Hill.

Duncan McFadyen won the five-runner Gerry Daniels Timber and Callatra Stables open class, when recording the only clear round on board Kilnacross Orlaya Killinick.

Corcoran victory

It was decided to restrict the Drumhowan Stud older age class to six-year-olds this season, but this move didn’t pay off as the class was poorly supported each week. Whether the organisers should open it up again to seven-year-olds (which might bring back more from the show jumping fraternity) or omit it altogether will be considered when this year’s series is being reviewed.

While they agreed that Christopher Whyte was always third on Monbeg Crystal (158.5), Jean Gill (flatwork) and Nicky Roncoroni (performance) differed in their choice of winner.

In the end, as all three horses jumped clear, it was Gill’s flatwork mark (52) which resulted in Luke Corcoran claiming victory, on a total of 170.5 points, with his own James Glynn-bred Irish Sport Horse mare Emetts Rose (Glynnwood Cornet - Glenrevagh Kaerla, by Eldorado van de Zeshoek). Milchem Equestrian-based Becky Scott finished second with the performance phase winner on 70.5, Duncan McFadyen’s black 148cm mare FS Stormborn (168.5).

There was a very close result in the four and five-year-old Irish Draught class, where Caroline Lynch partnered her own Rebel Bandit (Rebel Mountain - Bramblebrough Aisling, by Dunbeggan Grey Mist) to victory on a total of 159 points. Hannah Gordon, one of the driving forces behind the Starter Series, finished second on Murrisk The Bouncing Star (158), with Amy Grady placing third on Oxview Paris (156).

While both her rivals jumped clear, Lynch had a fence down with the Gerard Fallon-bred Rebel Bandit, aka Bert, who she purchased last October from Maurice Bingham in Enniskillen. The four-year-old, who has 26 Dressage Ireland points to his credit, has qualified for both the four-year-old and the 80cm working hunter finals at next month’s Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan.

There was a contrasting result to the six-year-old and upwards class where, despite four jumping penalties, Amy Grady ran out a comfortable winner with the home-bred Murrisk Paudi (Farmhill Highlander - Ashlawn Star, by Agherlow), who topped the scores in both the flatwork and jumping phases for a total of 165.5.

Teresa Whyte finished second with another home-bred, the nine-year-old Sleehaun Silver Crest (157), who jumped clear within the time, while Padraic Corcoran had to settle for third with Roscarbery King (152).

The day’s commentators, Chris and Sue Ryan, weren’t under stress either when it came to the Treo Eile-sponsored thoroughbred class and here they had only two riders to talk about, as Sofie Walshe finished first on 165 points with Ennell Shadow (My Dream Boat - Rubys Shadow, by Supreme Leader) and second with Kinsau (164.5). Aisling Donoghue was third on Silent Picture (151.5).

The winner is a six-year-old gelding who ran unplaced in a point-to-point, four hurdle races and a chase, the last of these being at Kilbeggan in July 2025 when he pulled up.