THE second and final leg of the autumn eventing development series, funded under National Breeding Services by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and delivered by Horse Sport Ireland, was held last Sunday at Milchem Equestrian Centre, where it was run as a combined training competition.

German native Mailin Sophie Meyer, who joined the Tullibards team in early September, paid a successful first visit west of the Shannon as she won the 19-runner CT90 class for four-year-olds on her Marian Slattery-awarded dressage score (28.3 penalties), with the Irish Sport Horse mare Tullibards Whats Up Boys.

Following owner/breeder Hans Kuehnle’s recent good run in the sales ring with progeny by Tullibards Bennys Legacy, this bay is the oldest of three fillies registered on CapallÓir out of the Nekton mare Nekita, who Jenny Kuehnle competed at CCI3*-L level. The dam’s three-year-old by Livello (Tullibards Ulapalu) was due to come up as Lot 524 at Goresbridge on Thursday (see report p84-86).

Speaking of the 19-year-old rider, Kuehnle commented: “She had never done cross-country before she came here but, thanks to her mother, she is very good on the flat and has show jumped up to 1.25m level. She has done very well on her outings to date.” Of the winning mare, who is for sale, he stated: “She was a bit late coming in this year, so has done very little.”

On her dressage score (29), Sarah Nelson finished second with the Carol Gee-owned and bred ISH gelding Fernhill Little Fellow (by Livello) while, with a fence down show jumping for a total of 29.5, Luca Bortolamei dropped to third with the dressage winner Borris Joxer, a grey son of SHS Soco Blue, who is also owned by Gee.

Back-to-back

The Fernhill Sporthorses team struck in the 16-runner five-year-old class which, on her winning flat work mark of 25.8, Kate Walsh landed for the second week running with the Belgian Warmblood gelding Viper van’t Eigenlo (O’Neill van’t Eigenlo - Nice Gigi van’t Eigenlo, by Toulon). The winner’s dam is a full-sister to Moneymaker van’t Eigenlo (1.50m) and a half-sister to three other 1.50m performers.

Godfrey Gibbons finished a close-up second on the five-year-old Sligo Candy Boy gelding Belline Doros Candy Boy (26), ahead of Mailin Sophie Meyer on the Tullibards Bennys Legacy gelding Tullibards Lux Like A Benny (28).

There were only two entries in the five-year-old pony class, both ridden by Katie Jane Murphy and both having a pole down show jumping. The winner on 43.8 was the traditionally-bred ISH gelding Leo Luna (Luan Cincise - Lady Augusta, by Coral Lad).

Alyssa O'Neill riding Dermish Coney, winner of he DAFM six/seven-year-old class at the autumn eventing development series held at Milchem \ Aisling Deverell

Co Kildare-based Alyssa O’Neill brought three horses over to Milchem, winning (31.8) the six and seven-year-old DAFM class with her ISH mare Dermish Coney (Lancelot - Quality Cruising, by OBOS Quality 007), the 2019 chesnut on whom she rounded off the EI season with a third-place finish of 22 in the EI110 at Tattersalls Ireland.

Also on her dressage score, Chloe Hester filled the runner-up spot with the home-bred Ninth House gelding Calagy Tarmon (32.8). Four show jumping penalties proved costly for Melanie Wrynn as, on 32.8, as she dropped from first to third with Ardeo Rathmorrissey, a Tradtionally-bred gelding by Welcome Grandpa.

O’Neill also placed fourth (33.8) on Knockalla, the six-year-old ISH gelding whose 2026 EI campaign concluded with a hat-trick of victories, two at EI100 level and one at EI105, while she was the only starter in the CT110 on board the eight-year-old ISH gelding DS Candescent, whose total of 31.8 included four show jumping penalties.

Laura Whyte also recorded an uncontested victory in the CT90 on the five-year-old Connemara mare Primrose Pumkins Pondi while, with her sole rival being eliminated, Lauran Bradley just had to complete to win the CT80 on the six-year-old ISH gelding Master Coolieo.