THE Ponsonby family opened the gates of their beautiful parkland estate Grove for their sole Eventing Ireland fixture of the year last Sunday.

Leading the EI115 (Open) field was Stephanie Stammschroer who delivered an impressive victory aboard Master Swatch, a 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse by Watermill Swatch (TB), owned by Paula Stammschroer and bred by Olga Scully.

The pair produced a dressage score of 30.5 which saw them in fourth place. Two faultless jumping rounds, with 12.4 cross-country time penalties to add on what was their fourth Eventing Ireland appearance this year, saw them finish with 42.9 for the win. The dressage leader was Sian Coleman with Carrowgar Je T’aime Max (27.3) but 12 show jumping faults and 14.4 cross-country time penalties dropped them to seventh.

Kim O’Gorman moved up to second with the on-form Californian Wolf (ISH by Crosskeys Rebel (CP)). This pair, who won on their last two outings, posted the top dressage mark of 29.5 but added a costly four penalties in show jumping and 10.4 time penalties across the country to finish on a total of 43.9.

Rounding out the top three was Dominic Furnell aboard Thomas Jones’ home-bred Ivanhoe (ISH by Wounderwall (TB)). Their dressage score of 31.4 was followed by four penalties in the show jumping phase and 10 time penalties on cross-country.

Strong class

Michael McNally, riding the impressive Ardeo Copperton Kryptonite (ISH), claimed victory after a strong all-round performance in the EI115. McNally delivered a dressage score of 30.9 before adding four penalties in show jumping and 5.2 cross-country time penalties to finish on a winning total of 40.1. This seven-year-old by Frammassone (TB) was bred by John Moore and is owned by Georgina Gogan whose daughter Isabella produced him from a four-year-old to this point.

“Isabella has done a brilliant job and is just currently busy with some other things so I have taken over temporarily,” McNally explained.

“He is showing all the charachteristics of a top horse and I can see four and even five-stars in his future. He is very solid in all three phases.” McNally, who is busy preparing his own event scheduled for July 27th at Clonmahon, was full of praise for the Grove event: “It’s one of the most popular events on the calendar, everyone looks forward to it and they did another super job this year. All three phases were well presented and the cross country course was very good, in particular from a spectator point of view as it was in a compact area but still, the course designers did very clever job in keeping the course flowing and there was all the variety of questions you needed in it.”

Second place went to Robbie Kearns with Richard Ames’ Belline Thistle Bethelasttime (ISH by Grafenstolz), who led after the dressage phase on a score of 26.8. The combination jumped double clear, but were hampered by 14.8 time penalties across country, bringing their total to 41.6. Another seven-year-old, this horse won the CCI2*-L at Millstreet International last month. Third place was taken by Molly O’Neill and Muckridge Quick Step (ISH). Their dressage score of 32.0 was followed by eight show jumping penalties and just 2.4 time penalties cross-country to finish on 42.4. Owner Richard Ames had more to celebrate when Patrick Byrne finished fourth with Belline Castle ONR Candy (ISH).

In the EI100 Open, Keelin McCarthy and Romans Mr Kane (KWPN by Etoulon VDL) took the win on a near-perfect score of 29.9. The pair posted a dressage score of 29.5 and added nothing in the jumping phases, with only 0.4 time penalties in cross-country keeping them from finishing on their dressage mark.

In second place was Lucy McIlroy riding Major Black (ISH). This TIH by Imperial Hights delivered a dressage mark of 30.3 and, despite incurring four penalties in the show jumping phase, McIlroy added just 0.8 cross-country time penalties. Their total of 35.1 secured them a well-earned runner-up spot to add to their recent win at Hazeldene 2. Abby Coakley and Toome Carrick Jimmy (ISH by Carrick Diamond Lad) completed the top three for Coakley’s first podium result of the season. Their dressage score of 30.8 was followed by four show jumping and just 1.6 time penalties across country, leaving them on a final score of 36.4.

Amanda Goldsbury delivered one of the standout performances piloting the six-year-old Holsteiner gelding Cooley Will Do (I’m Special De Muze) to victory on a final score of just 26.7 in the EI100 Section A.

Goldsbury posted an exceptional dressage score of 23.5 and the pair maintained their lead throughout, with only 3.2 time penalties incurred on cross-country. Finishing second was Dominic Furnell aboard SHL Donatello (ISH by Orestus (KWPN)). This combination delivered a dressage score of 32.3 with no further penalties added. Third place went to Sarah Ennis riding Nycarlos H (KWPN by Tangelo Van Du Zuuthoeve). The pair began with a solid dressage score of 30.8 and kept a clean jumping sheet, adding only 5.2 time penalties in the cross-country phase to finish on 36.0.

Impressive

Sian Coleman clinched victory in Section B aboard Catherine Swain’s Fabia HSH (ISH by Elvis Ter Putte) thanks to an impressive dressage score of 26.8. While they picked up four show jumping penalties, their cross-country round was flawless with only 0.4 time penalties added. Dominic Furnell scored his third podium spot of the day here, this time riding Ballycahane Pocahontas (ISH by Pointilliste (TB)). Their dressage score of 32.0 was maintained through both the show jumping and cross-country phases, with just 2.0 time penalties added for a final score of 34.0. Third place went again to Sarah Ennis aboard Liam Lynskey’s DS Are You Calypso (ISH by DS Are You With Me), who began with a dressage score of 31.5 to which they added four show jumping penalties.

Maeve Deverell and Annaharvey Dunowen (ISH by Radolin) secured a decisive win, and their fifth this season, in the EI110 (J) on their dressage score of 28.3. Close behind in second place was Carla Williamson, who piloted Powers (ISH by Colandro) to a strong finish on a score of 30.4. Williamson also claimed third place with her second ride, Karolita O on 31.5.

Sarah Smullen and Carhu Melody (CP by Lickeen Star) secured their well-earned first victory together in the EI110 (P) on a final score of 27.6, adding just 0.8 time penalties to their dressage score.

In second place was Hugh Kelly and Fairyhouse In A Pickle (ISH), who delivered the lowest dressage score of 23.3 before adding four show jumping and 1.6 cross-country time penalties. Third place went to Anna Radford and Essenar Double Dutch (ISH), who finished on their dressage score of 30.5.

Brid Cronin and Talking Tom (ISH by Hi Kilrainey) took the EI110 (Amateur) class on their dressage penalty score of 42.5.