THE Killossery Lodge Stud thoroughbred arena eventing league, which was sponsored by Treo Eile, concluded last Sunday at the north Co Dublin venue, where Emily Taylor and her unraced Harzand mare, Lilly Bobtail, emerged as winners.

With 26 penalties to their credit, the combination finished second in Sunday’s final round to fellow Mullingar participants Evita Thomsen and the seven-year-old Califet gelding, Black Field (22), but secured the title having won twice over the previous four legs of the league.

Speaking on Monday, Taylor remarked: “It’s lucky she’s permanently retired from racing, as her four-year-old half-sister finished second in a point-to-point at the weekend – I worry Ciaran (her husband, the Co Westmeath trainer Ciaran Murphy) may have got ideas otherwise!

“My plan is to do a leg or more of the Western Region Starter Series and then some dressage and eventing during the year.

"I have my eye on a trip to the ROR dressage championships in Aintree if things work out, but we will see.”

The five-year-old Lilly Bobtail, who was bred by Liam Gavin, is the third of five recorded foals out of the French-bred Royal Jubilee. That Zanzibari mare was also unraced, but is a half-sister to four winners out of a winning own-sister to the dual Group 1 scorer Terre A Terre. The four-year-old who finished second at Borris on Sunday on her debut is the Poet’s Word mare, Might Be The One.

Filling the runner-up slot in the league were Aoife Brady and Linkenholt, who impressed in the dressage phase each week.

On Sunday, they recorded a score of 19 but, with eight jumping penalties, had to settle for third on the day. Louise Duffy, chairperson of the Association of Irish Riding Clubs, claimed third place in the league with Al Boum Photo, on whom she won a qualifying leg.

This year, Treo Eile has introduced the Grand Slam Bonus, offering a prize of €500 to the horse and rider combination who amasses the most points across four affiliated arena eventing leagues. Both series at The Meadows and Killossery Lodge Stud have been completed, but there will be opportunities to earn points at the upcoming Western Region Starter Series and the Stepping Stones to Success league.

Readers can learn more about the bonus on the Treo Eile website, where you can also find details about registering your horse with the not-for-profit organisation.