THERE was a relatively small entry at Hazeldene last Saturday, as this first of two Eventing Ireland Northern Region events at Andrew and Laura Napier’s Co Down venue clashed with Badminton while, in a bit of unfortunate timing, today’s second event clashes with the final day of Balmoral Show.

Those who did make their way to the Ballynahinch farm were, as ever, impressed by the car parking officials, the lovely fences and well laid-out tracks and the wonderful wooden carvings at the most unexpected places. On Saturday, as the cross-country didn’t start until 1.30pm, a great many people were able to watch the start of the action at Badminton on the big scene in the ‘enclosure’, returning when they could.

Steven Smith probably didn’t have time to do much screen-watching, as he had four rides in four classes - although he only faced nine rivals in total on his way to four successes.

Wearing the No 1 bib, the Gilford rider comfortably won the three-runner EI115 (Open) with Caryn Walker’s home-bred Newferry Jagermeister, a 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Lougherne Cashell. He had an even greater margin of victory over his sole rival in the EI115, which he won with the seven-year-old ISH gelding You Neek (by Diamond Roller), who is being aimed at the CCI3*-S at Millstreet next week.

At EI110 level, Smith had little trouble in landing the three-runner Open with Campbell McLean’s ISH gelding Annaghmore Cornoko, a seven-year-old by HHS Cornet, and it was a similar story in the five-runner EI110, where he came out on top with Judith and Eric McClelland’s home-bred ISH mare Sinetta, a seven-year-old Cevin Z half-sister to the Vechta gelding Black Ice (CCI5*-L).

Stable star

If that wasn’t enough, Casey Webb, stable jockey at Smith Brothers Eventing, partnered the yard’s Handsome Starr to finish second in the EI110 (Open). She then won and placed third and fourth, on her dressage scores, in the 19-runner EI100 with Bluestone Pharoah (22.3), Happy Go Lucky (29.3) and Knockaleery Mill Leat (also 29.3). Holly Milligan finished second on her first phase score with Our Springhill Hot Toddy (24.3).

This was a first win on her seventh start, all at this level, for Shirley Chambers’s Bluestone Pharoah (Bluestone Talent - Via Pompidou, by Calvados), who is back competing at Hazeldene today, while the traditionally-bred ISH geldings Happy Go Lucky and Knockaleery Mill Leat are entered in the CCI1*-Intro at Millstreet.

Also heading down to Co Cork for that Carr & Day & Martin-sponsored class is Steven Smith’s daughter Hollie, who won Saturday’s 11-runner EI100 (Amateur), on her dressage score, with her father’s ISH gelding Mr Diceman (23 penalties), a 12-year-old bay son of Ringfort Cruise, on whom she had also been successful at Vesey Lodge.

Also completing on their Julie Green-awarded dressage scores to place second and third were Neil Morrison with the eight-year-old skewbald gelding Patcherson (24.5) and Cassie Huddleston riding the 14-year-old traditionally-bred ISH gelding Lisnamuck What A Cracker (31.1).