Tadgh triumphs with his Hero

THERE were just six starters in the CCIP2-S at last week’s Ballindenisk Horse Trials, but there was another very tight finish with Ireland’s Tadgh O’Haire and Britain’s Tara Kane completing the three phases on 40.9 penalties.

The pair, who were both clear inside the time across the country on Saturday, arrived at that final tally in different ways. Riding his father James’s 11-year-old skewbald gelding Ballinagore Hero, O’Haire added 12 show jumping penalties to his dressage score of 28.9, while Scottish native Kane only had one fence down with the Connemara gelding Annaveigh Vahey, a 10-year-old mare by William’s Boy.

As he finished closer to the optimum time across the country, O’Haire claimed the honours on Ballinagore Hero which was some consolation for their outing at the European pony championships in Le Mans where, after a good dressage stage, they had problems with a ‘skinny’ across the country.

Fifteen-year-old O’Haire (pictured on page 95), who has another year in ponies but has some nice young horses to ride, this week took over the job as No 1 jockey in the family’s Hawthorn Farm yard as brother Jack has joined the Army Equitation School. He also has to go to school, having started his Junior cert year, and is a member of the Kildare GAA’s under 16 hurling team.

Disappointingly for Maya Constable, who led after the dressage phase judged by the ground jury of Ireland’s Joanne Jarden (C) and Paula Geiger (E) with Rockon Pedro (27.8), they parted company at fence 6a. They had won eight EI100 (P) classes in succession prior to Ballindenisk.