AS the Northern Region’s Tyrella season came to a close last Saturday after nearly single-handedly bailing out the sport since the start of the campaign, local Olympians Joseph Murphy and Clare Abbott made their 2025 Eventing Ireland debuts and came away with a win apiece.

Murphy had three rides in the EI115 (Open) and filled three of the top four placings with the trio of Irish Sport Horse geldings, all of whom are competing in the CCI3*-S at Ballindenisk this weekend.

With four cross-country time penalties, he won on Amanda Torrens and Austin O’Callaghan’s 14-year-old Ars Vivendi bay Barberstown Castle Rehy (30.4); he completed on his Joanne Jarden-awarded dressage score to finish second with Annette O’Callaghan’s 11-year-old Loughehoe Guy bay Funny Guy (31.1); and, with a fence down show jumping and eight cross-country time penalties, he placed fourth with his own eight-year-old Bernhard gelding Dstud Flirtation (41.1).

“We were in England for a few weeks and competed at Barbury Castle and at the Thoresby Park international,” commented Murphy.

“We were meant to go to Burham Market but, with an eye on the ground, we decided to bypass that and come home to run here. I have to say the ground was in great order, really well-prepared, while the new layout also worked well. Although I was used to show jumping after cross-country at the higher levels, I think it was much better doing it the other way around (as on Saturday).

“I’m gelling a lot better with Barberstown Castle Rehy this season and am looking forward to seeing where we go internationally. Funny Guy is a traditionally-bred gelding we bought recently and who was having just his second start for us at Tyrella. I think he is going to be a nice one for Annette for the future.”

Clear round

With the new format in play, Clare Abbott knew where she stood after her clear show jumping round in the 10-runner EI115 and, on board Marshall and Sarah Riley’s ISH gelding Kilcoltrim Cooley, who led after dressage on 20.7, could afford to pick up 6.4 cross-county time penalties. She and the seven-year-old Plot Blue bay took the win on a total of 27.1 with the previous weekend’s winners, Cathal Daniels and Shannondale Micah finishing second (29.9) having added 0.8 of a cross-country time penalty to their Rosie Gomes-awarded flat work mark.

The Aaron McCusker-built show jumping track caught out a lot of horses between the two classes at this level.