THE penultimate leg of the Plusvital/Eventing Ireland spring combined training series was held last Saturday at CoilOg, where the Byrne family are also hosting the final standalone round today.
The dressage judging duties, from 9am to 3.30pm, were undertaken by John Lyttle and Ruth Daunt, while Orla Griffin ruled the jumping arena to shortly after 4pm. In three of the five classes, the winners led from the outset.
The most notable of these was Young Rider Tom Nestor who, on 30.45 penalties, landed the nine-runner EI115 on his father David’s 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Cooley Diamond Dancer (Jack Of Diamonds - Lucy Blue, by Cruising).
Nestor and the Claire McDonnell-bred grey, who competed in four CCI3* events last year from seven starts overall, here finished ahead of the league leaders and second-placed combinations at this level, Louise Bloomer with Martin Coen’s 11-year-old ISH gelding Atlantic Rockstar (31.59) and Young Rider Gearoid Bolger on his mother Margaret’s 12-year-old ISH gelding Into Mischief (32.5).
In the EI90, which attracted 22 starters, the all-the-way winner on her flat work mark of 25 penalties was Pony Rider Lucy Ferris with her mother Mary’s Connemara gelding How Ya Sammy (Woodfield Sammy - Robe Cheeky Lass, by Robe Earl). They were also on the mark at the Dressage Ireland Leinster Region show at CoilÓg on Sunday.
Ferris and How Ya Sammy have experienced their own private battle throughout the series with the runners-up here, Junior Rider Maya Byrne and her mother Rita’s traditionally-bred 11-year-old ISH gelding Tranquil Master, who had a fence down show jumping for a total of 30.25. Another Junior competitor, Chloe Lalloo, finished third on her first-phase score (33) with Laura Fitzgerald’s 13-year-old Connemara gelding Kildromin Mentor.
Dressage scores
The top six in the 11-runner EI80 all completed on their dressage scores, being led throughout by Pony Rider Freya Fitzgerald on board her father Kevin’s 12-year-old ISPA-registered gelding Aille Sinoia Scooby (35.75). Junior Rider Emma Bank finished second with the unraced six-year-old thoroughbred mare Jukebox Zoe (36.25).
Pony Rider Emily Flavin-Redmond had to settle for third on this occasion with mother Debbie’s five-year-old Connemara mare Galtee Honeysuckle (36.5), but she and the Kinvara Boy grey have reclaimed their position at the top of the league.
In the EI110, where only seven of the 16 starters completed on their dressage scores, a clear round resulted in Aoife Madigan moving up a place to claim the top spot on 32 penalties with her 12-year-old ISH gelding Slanduff Bell XI (Royal Concorde - My Valley Of Roses, by Supreme Edge).
Mark Houlihan also benefited from others’ errors in the show jumping ring to climb to third with Jane O’Flynn’s eight-year-old ISH gelding CFH Grand Vivendi (34.25).
A pole down show jumping saw Michael O’Toole and his parents’ seven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Obsession AKA Ballybeg Obsession drop from first to third on 35.5, but they still maintain a slight advantage in the league.
There was a much higher percentage of clear rounds in the 24-runner EI100, but 12 show jumping penalties proved extremely expensive for Finn O’Gara and Rathmorrissey Independence, who narrowly led the dressage phase on 30.25.
Ready to take advantage of the leader’s misfortune, Harriet Aveling claimed the win on her flat work mark (30.5) with her 13-year-old ISH mare The Minx (Emperor Augustus - Daisy Dukey), ahead of Pony Rider Robyn Dempsey and her mother Helen’s 11-year-old Connemara stallion Avalon Inis Sle (30.75). Despite finishing seventh (32.25) with Ballycondon OBOS, Junior Rider Grace Mahon holds a one-point lead going into today’s final round of this Plusvital Spring Series.