THERE were very close results at last week’s Ballindenisk international horse trials, a trend which began in the DAFM four-year-old development class, which was held on the Wednesday before the trot-ups for the long format competitions.

Britain’s Les Smith (a member of the ground jury for the 3* classes) judged both the flat work and show jumping phases in the new arena before horses headed out over the cross-country phase, where they were assessed by Britain’s Mary King (who rode in the CCI3*-S). It was the latter’s scoring which proved decisive.

Fifteen Irish Sport Horses appeared before the two judges, who awarded both the Ian Cassells-ridden Point Up and the Sara Lundkvist-partnered Sportsfield Luna, two grey mares, their combined top scores of 61 points. As she had recorded the higher cross-country score (27 to 25), Point Up claimed the win for Co Kildare-owner Bridget McGing whose home-bred also won the four-year-old young event horse class at Dublin.

Champion

Point Up, who is by AA-registered former world young horse champion Upsilon (CCI4*-L), is the only produce out of the traditionally-bred Pointilliste mare Diamond Pointe (CCI2*-L) who, having proved difficult to keep in foal, is now back show jumping at 1m level with Muireann Dooley. The Ballindenisk winner is a half-sister to the Coroner gelding Inquisitor (CCI3*-L).

“It’s nice when you win one of these end-of-season classes,” said McGing, “but I’d rather see money being put into training or into the regular Eventing Ireland season. I’m very lucky having Ian riding for me as we have the same approach to young horses. The plan is to hold on to the mare as a breeding prospect, but she’ll have a performance career first and will be brought along slowly for that.”

Paul Donovan’s Sportsfield Luna, who was scored higher by Smith (36 to 34), finished fourth to Point Up at Dublin. By the Holstein stallion Coolkeeran, she was bred in Co Laois by Thomas Hutchinson and is the first produce of the KWPN-registered Fine-Quality-S (by Quality Time TN), who amassed 156 Showjumping Ireland points before retiring to stud.

Turn to page 98 for a report on the new and very well-subscribed Treo Eile three-day challenge held at Ballindenisk International.