EMILY Young Jamieson and Klaas Jan B came back to Ballindenisk with some unfinished business to attend to in the Keyflow Feeds CCI3*-L class. This combination led this class back at the April event before having to withdraw prior to the final phase.

Their intent was there from the outset as they laid down a very competitive score of 26.7 penalties within the white boards in front of their ground jury of Emma Flegman (AUS) and Les Smith (GBR). The only other combination to break into the 20s was Nicole Mills and Kopi Luwak (KWPN), but problems on the cross-country course put paid to their challenge on the leaderboard.

“I’ve had him since he was a three-year-old so I’ve produced him the whole way along,” said a delighted Young Jamieson after her win. “We’ve been chasing his three-star long qualification as I broke my wrist in the middle of the season which meant we missed a few opportunities, so I’m delighted to have not only got the qualification but the win is the icing on the cake! He’s done a couple of four-star short classes, so this will let us crack on next season with the next step up.”

Eventual second place, Marcio Jorge (BRA) and MBF Major Lazer K (KWPN) rose from sixth place after dressage after clear rounds in both jumping phases, finishing on their dressage score of 31.1 penalties. Irish Sport Horse, Deloughtane Dingo, and American rider Grace Taylor also finished on their dressage score of 31.8 penalties to take third place.

The highest-placed Irish rider was Sam Watson riding the thoroughbred Nominator (TB) (GER), who rose from 15th place after dressage to take fourth in the final standings. The eight-year-old gelding by Jukebox Jury (TB) also won the award for the Highest Placed Thoroughbred, sponsored by Treo Eile.

Catch ride

Nearly 50 competitors lined out in the CCI3*-S class and it was tight at the top of the final standings, but Hallie Coon and ESI Baltic Breeze (ISH) sealed the victory on Sunday afternoon. The 10-year-old gelding by Baltic VDL, bred by Ennisnag Stud - also the breeder of It’s Cooley Time, who represented Great Britain at the recent European Championships in Blenheim Palace - produced a beautiful dressage test to score 28.7 penalties, matching Coon’s other mount, Boleybawn Olivia (ISH). Coon had mixed luck with her two mounts as she missed a fence on the cross-country course with Boleybawn Olivia resulting in elimination.

“He’s a catch ride really, Katherine Coleman who I share stables with owns him,” said Coon of ESI Baltic Breeze (ISH). “I’ve only really ridden him a few times and he just knows his job and is a good boy, so it’s a testament to Katherine really that I can just jump on and get this kind of result!”

Irish-based British rider Daniel Alderson piloted two horses to finish inside the top 10 in the class. He took second place with Margaret G Moore’s Annestown Royal Blue (ISH) on a score of 31.1. Sitting just inside the top 10 after the first phase, the Bonmahon Master Blue (ISH)-sired mare jumped an immaculate double clear to rise to eventual second place. Alderson also rode Hurricane Fly B (ISH) to finish in seventh place, their four time penalties on the cross-country proving costly.

Le Lion prep

Ireland’s Sam Watson was another to remain on his dressage score on Ballybolger Goldman, a dun gelding by Tullabeg Fusion. Owned by Lesley Crampton and Sam’s wife, Hannah Watson, the seven-year-old won the CCI2*-L class at Ballindenisk in the spring. This run will set this combination up nicely for the FEI WBFSH World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses 2025 in Le Lion D’Angers in a few weeks’ time.

Also competing at the aforementioned championships in a few weeks’ time, Aoife Clark and Standfast (ISH) put in a good performance to finish in fifth place, adding just 1.2 time penalties to their dressage score. The gelding by Island Commander (TB) was bred by Michael Murphy from Co Wexford and is owned by the rider.