THE best-supported Youths’ class at Vesey Lodge last Saturday was the EI100 (J), where eight combinations contested the dressage phase before Coreen Abernethy.

Her winner on 29.8 was Zara Reid riding The Doctors Touch, but four show jumping penalties saw that combination drop to second behind Ana Goodrich and Carole Young’s traditionally-bred Lisnamuck What A Cracker (30.5), the 14-year-old ISH gelding by Cheeky Bobby Sparrow on whom she had finished second the previous Saturday at Loughanmore.

The Aaron McCusker-built show jumping track had a major effect in the six-runner EI110 (J) where, with just one fence down for a total of 35.3, Mya McMullan comfortably brought up a hat-trick on the 13-year-old ISH mare CSF Quality Surprise (by OBOS Quality 004).

Back on the national circuit, Kitty Cullen and Lisa Donnan’s 10-year-old Connemara gelding Greenaun Russell (by Carracanada River), easily accounted for their sole rivals in the EI110 (P). There was a duel for honours also in the EI90 (P), where Lucinda Webb-Graham’s dressage scores saw Rachel Booth and the 13-year-old grey gelding Melview Chester (31.3) claim the win over Tilly Ham riding Akaroa Bittersweet (34.5).

Charlie Weston faced four opponents in the EI100 (P) where, with the only double clear (albeit picking up 1.2 cross-country time penalties), she had little trouble in winning on her grandfather Mervyn Gibson’s nine-year-old Connemara mare Leamore Girl (by Classiebawn Hughs Promise).