COOLEY Farm-based New Zealand international rider Amanda Goldsbury is constantly heading north but doesn’t mind the journey up and back, for eventing or show jumping, if they reap rewards such as the double she landed at the Eventing Ireland Northern Region one-day at Vesey Lodge last Saturday.
Goldsbury struck first in the 18-strong EI110 on the Irish Sport Horse mare Cooley Clarissma who had finished third (of 25) in an EI100 at Tyrella (3) on her EI debut and here claimed the win on the 28.3 dressage score she was awarded by Coreen Abernethy. This six-year-old bay by Clarimo out of a Cruising mare is owned by Cooley Farm in partnership with Carol Coad.
The Goldsbury/Cooley double came up in the EI100 where KHH Cooley Bellini, who was making his affiliated EI debut following a couple of training classes, completed on his Janet Hall-awarded dressage score (21). Steven Smith led the 26-strong class after the first phase on Watermolen Cooley but that Tyrella (4) winner had a pole down show jumping to drop to third (23) behind his stable-companion Lachain Lace (22.5).
“I thought the cross-country tracks were lovely,” commented Goldsbury. “It’s a good thing to let the horses gallop at the start, the ground was absolutely gorgeous and the tracks were well-roped.”
The rider deferred to owner Richard Sheane when discussing future plans for both horses who, today, are competing at Hazeldene. “The mare is going to Millstreet with Amanda riding and Rosie Coad will probably do something on her towards the end of the season,” said Sheane. Of the six-year-old ISH gelding KHH Cooley Bellini, he added: “This is a lovely horse by Livello who seems to be taking to eventing and we’ll tip away with him.”
KHH Cooley Bellini was bred by The Irish Field’s advertising, sales and marketing manager Brendan McArdle and his partner Sarah Crosbie out of the Heritage Fortunus mare HHS Finky.
Redemption mission
A Junior rider whose trip north paid off on Saturday was Dun Laoghaire’s Jodie Scully who was on a redemption mission having left out a cross-country fence at Tyrella (4).
In both instances, Scully was on board Liz Gallagher’s ISH mare Baskin Kapuka, an Oretus nine-year-old who completed on her Jennifer Marshall-awarded dressage score of 18.5 in the 21-runner EI90. Low as that mark was, it was only good enough for second after the first phase but the flat work winners, Adam Gibson and Monarts Montenegro, had a pole down show jumping to drop to second (21.3).
The EI80 was again divided. In Section A, Kerry Finlay recorded an all-the-way second win from three starts on the good-looking ISH gelding The Ladies Choice (31.8 penalties), a seven-year-old bay son of OBOS Quality 004.
In Section B, the honours went to Ellie Kavanagh who completed on her first phase score (21.8) with the Connemara gelding Barravalley Maximus, a 10-year-old grey by Barravalley Jack. Eimear Watson, who led after dressage on the Irish Draught mare Gaurlin Lady, dropped to second (23) with a fence down show jumping.