CORK rider Molly Egan claimed the biggest win of her short eventing career when landing the CCI2*P-S at the Scone Palace International Horse Trials on the 20-year-old gelding Divine Fernando.

Egan (14) held fifth position after the dressage on 35.7, with British rider Eva Bryant in the lead at this point on 34.3 with Coolnaleen Rebel, the former mount of Irish international junior rider Molly O’Connor.

On Saturday, Egan and her superstar pony were the only combination to show jump clear and finish inside the time. That bumped them up to first place ahead of the cross-country, and a flawless clear again kept them in that position to lead home an Irish one-two.

Second spot went to fellow Irish rider Susan O’Brien on the 13-year-old gelding Ballinagore Aaron. They added just 0.8 of a time fault in show jumping to their opening score of 35.1 and completed the cross-country track with nothing to add. A winner twice this year at E100P level at Hazeldene and Crecora, this was a big weekend for the Island Pony Club member who only started eventing last year.

Molly Egan, meanwhile, was thrilled to win the class which was held as part of the Tiggy’s Trust weekend. “As one of the international winners, she was asked to sign her name on a bronze statue of a horse at the venue,” said her mother, Rebecca Coveney.

“She was 10th in this class at Blair Castle last year. They were also 10th in the pony international at Millstreet in June. The pony was previously show jumping and had never done a dressage test before we got him. Eimear White has been fantastic training Molly, and she also goes to Sue Smallman for dressage.”

Generous

Smallman was among several coaches who travelled to Scone, along with Becky Cullen and Anita Doherty, who was deputising for Heather Coyle. Also in attendance was Caroline Moran and her daughter, Niamh. They all generously gave their time to assist riders in course walks and in the warm-up arenas.

A team competition between Irish and British riders was also held over the weekend and this was won by Molly Egan (Divine Fernando), Susan O’Brien (Ballinagore Aaron), Kitty Cullen (Greenaun Russel) and Sofia Ball (Glencroft Shadow Catcher).

Time fault

Several other young Irish riders took part in the CCI1*-Intro, and here Erin Mathieson took a creditable eighth place from over 90 starters on DG Dawn Chorus with a final score of 31.1. They added a mere 0.8 of a time fault to their dressage score of 30.3. This class was won by British rider Wills Oakden on his dressage score of 28.6 with Greystone Midnight Harmony.

Tiggy’s Trust also supported the Irish team that competed at the Pony Club Mounted Games. The quintet of Alex Shortt (Kildare), Grace Whelan (Kildare), Mai Donovan (Wexford), Emer Nolan (Wexford) and Jack Cowan (Iveagh) finished fourth from 13 teams under the guidance of Alan Hatton.

Of their performance, Hatton said: “They played really well in the heats, but they didn’t have the luck of the Irish in one or two games. It was so competitive. However, it was a trip of a lifetime for these kids and I wish to thank all those behind the scenes, especially Frank and Jane Hancock, and Matthew Taylor, the manager of Perth Racecourse.”

Set up in 2022 in memory of Tiggy Hancock, Tiggy’s Trust is going from strength to strength to nurture young riders on their eventing paths. It would be lovely to see some of the national bodies come on board in support to make the 2026 renewal abroad an even bigger success.