ENTRIES were small in the CCI*-Intro at Ballindenisk, which organiser Peter Fell put down to the change to Eventing Ireland’s qualification criteria, which now necessitates combinations to have contested two EI110 classes, and the increased cost of full FEI registrations as implemented by Horse Sport Ireland. Just seven competitors came forward, of whom one was eliminated for jumping the wrong fence cross country, and one incurred two refusals in the same phase.

The victor here was Lesley Jones, who added nothing to her excellent dressage score of 27.1 to take the win with Yvonne Pearson’s Quality Choice. A nine-year-old gelding by OBOS Quality, Quality Choice was bred by Paddy Donnellan out of the Womanizer mare Ballylean Tower. This combination had previously finished second at the same level at Ballindenisk’s autumn international in 2024, and ran only once at EI110 level in 2025. They came to Ballindenisk off the back of finishing sixth in the EI100 class at Tyrella 3.

Second, and also taking the TRM Leading Amateur prize home to Co Meath, was Amy Parsons riding her own Mighty Max. This was a first international start for the 17-year-old KWPN/Welsh-cross gelding, who took a nine-year break from competing under Eventing Ireland rules between 2015 and 2024. His rider’s sights will now turn towards Millstreet International, provided she can juggle competing there with her commitments at Tattersalls’ breeze-ups. Parsons works for Gordon Elliott, as well as doing pointers and breeze-ups at home, and she had her first success as a trainer earlier his month when Aisling Molloy’s Nelsons Port took the older mares’ maiden at Loughanmore.

Italy’s Luca Bortolamei was third with Carol Gee’s Lancillotto della Malaspina, a six-year-old grey gelding by the Selle Francais stallion Lindberg des Hayettes. This combination recently finished second in the DAFM EI100 (6yo) class at Lisgarvan, and were another to complete on their dressage score of 30.5.

IN light of the smaller than expected entries, Ballindenisk added national EI105 classes for both horses and ponies to the schedule, to enable entrants to experience an international competition without having to pay FEI registration fees. Only three combinations contested the pony section, which was won by Elsa Walsh and Ardnehue Red Robin (CP by Burning Daylight), while there were four starters in the equivalent class for horses, which was won by Lara Lillingston and Kangaroo Jack (Jack of Diamonds).