SARAH Ennis and Michael Ryan were on top form at Clyda 2 last weekend with Ennis landing a treble and Ryan taking a brace of wins.
Having just heard the news of her selection for the Irish team travelling to Blenheim Palace for the European Championships in two weeks’ time, Ennis and OnceUponATime (ISH) took victory in the EI115 Open. The pair delivered a dressage score of 27.3 and added just 0.8 time penalties across country to finish on 28.1, securing the top spot.
This is the first 2025 win for this pair, however they have been knocking on the door with a third in the CCI3*-S at Lisgarvan international and a second at Hazeldene the week previous. OnceUponATime is a nine-year-old by Barely A Moment (TB) out of Monicas Dream (ISH) and is owned by her breeder Deirdre Connolly.
“It was a lovely event with challenging tracks, especially in the 115,” said Ennis. “They were a lot luckier with the weather - we had been in Glenpatrick the day before where the rain was biblical. It did rain on and off but the track held up really well. It started to chew up in the end, but was only making footprints.
“OnceUponATime didn’t do much eventing this year, this was only her second event, but she went to Dublin where she was fourth in the workers which was fun to do but she won’t be changing careers, she is an eventer through and through.
“She is a savage mare and loves her cross-country. We are hoping for Ballindenisk with her and she is also on the wait list for the eight and nine-year-olds at Blenheim.”
In second place in this class was Carla Williamson, who guided her Millstreet International CCI1*- Intro winner Karolita O (KWPN by Firestone) to a polished performance. Their clear rounds in both jumping phases meant they completed on their dressage score of 28.4, just fractions behind the winner.
Third place was claimed by Daniel Meagher with A Classic Sportsfield (ISH by Mermus R). Also producing a fault-free jumping record, this partnership finished on their dressage mark of 31.8.
Close behind in fourth was Rebecca Coughlan riding her Clyda (1) EI110 winner Miss Cooley (Ramiro B) on their dressage score of 33.6 while Louise Kennedy and Eromenom JJ (Mr Clover) impressed in the dressage with a 27.0, but show jumping penalties and cross-country time faults pushed them down to 42.6, finishing fifth.
Absolute machine
Ennis also triumphed in the EI115 class, this time with her own Dolmen Stellor Design (ISH), on whom she was third in the CCI3*-S at Ballindenisk International. Their polished dressage test of 29.8, combined with just 0.4 cross-country time penalties, left them comfortably at the top of the leaderboard on a finishing score of 30.2.
Dolmen Stellor Design is an eight-year-old gelding by Quantino (Holst) out of Dolmen Dimension (ISH) bred by Jack Murphy. This is the pair’s first win at this level after two seconds since stepping up in April. Ennis’ third win was in the EI100 class with Ordonnay (see report below).
“Dolmen is our own. I considered Blenheim with him but he’s only eight and was doing one-star as a seven-year-old so we decided to wait and aim him for a four-star next season,” Ennis explained. “He’s an absolute machine, he’s grown to close to 17hh now so I feel like a cherry sitting on him at times, but he’s lovely and will be a proper horse with time.”
Hannah Groves claimed the runner-up spot here with MMF Churchill (ISH by OBOS Quality 004). After a dressage mark of 33.9, the pair added four faults in the show jumping to complete on 37.9.
Also by OBOS Quality 004, Ardagh Mayday was third with Emily Brooks. Their dressage of 39.8 was followed by one rail down, giving them a final score of 43.8.
Fourth went to Ben Connors with Zuperlative (AES by Cevin Z). Despite delivering a fault-free jumping performance, cross-country time penalties proved costly, leaving them on 46.0.
Close behind in fifth, Hannah Willis and Shenandoah’s Cachassini (DSP by Cachassini) finished on 46.2 after a steady but penalised cross-country run.
EI110 classes
The first of Michael Ryan’s wins was in the EI110 Open on Tullibards Bennys Rainbow (ISH), where the pair completed on their dressage mark of 30.5. By Tullibards Bennys Legacy out of Barrahill Beauty (ISH), this nine-year-old gelding was bred by Hans Küehnle and is owned by Carol and Tom Henry.
Just behind, Alison Holden and her Millstreet International CCI2*-S winner Lates Eddie (ISH by My Oh My) finished second on 30.8, while Heidi Brabazon guided Red Ace into third on 33.3. Ryan also filled fourth with JVK Eclipse (ISH by Chinook Eclipse) completing on 38.8. Fifth place went to Cameron Kiernan and Headleys Daredevil (44.6).
In the EI110, it was another win for Ryan, this time riding his own home-bred The Outlaw to finish on 34.3. The Outlaw is an eight-year-old by Killossery Klover (ISH) out of Baby Bets.
Emma Egan and the six-year-old mare Rusheen Quality (ISH by Lagans OBOS Quality) took the runner-up spot on 36.5 after losing her dressage lead by rolling a pole, while Ashley Widmer and Claragh D’Or (Lift Wells) claimed third on 38.8, also with one pole down. Cameron Kiernan and Kratos CAL M2S (Ulysses M2S) were fourth on 39.5 while fifth went to Ryan again, this time with Rebecca Mills (Ars Vivendi), who closed on 44.9, and sixth was filled by Momo Sheehy with Da Vinci (Diego De Semilly) on 84.4.
The EI110 (J) went to David Nyhan and Coolafancy (ISH by Harlequin Du Carel), who finished on 35.8 despite picking up eight show jumping penalties. Sarah Smullen and Avalon Romulus (ISH) came second on 37.1, with Isabel Fitzgerald and OLS Pixie Hollow (ISH) in third on 39.6.
In the EI110 (P), Hannah Goold took the honours with Paddys Best, adding only cross-country time penalties to finish on 41.7, while the EI110 amateur class was won by Noelle Reidy with Sir Pelder Duke (Monkstown Beau), who finished on 43.5 after a rail in the show jumping.