PATRICK Whelan, who was crowned the 2025 national 120 champion with Altitu when second in the 4*-S at Millstreet earlier in the season, claimed two other titles last weekend at the Eventing Ireland national championships in Barnadown.

In the fixture’s highest-rated championship, the NutriScience Equine EI110, where three of the top four completed on the dressage scores they were awarded by Bernie Webb and Lynne Cassidy, Whelan led throughout to win narrowly on Ann and Lisa Cash’s home-bred seven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding SHL Cantbetamed (26 penalties).

John Tilley finished close up in second with the six-year-old HHS Cornet gelding Monbeg Crystal Clear (26.3); a fence down show jumping didn’t affect Michael McNally’s position of third on Ardeo Copperton Kryptonite (33.3) while Martha Dolan placed fourth with Quidams Liquidgold Cruiser (38.1). For varied reasons, three of the 18 starters were eliminated across the country.

This victory at Barnadown resulted in SHL Cantbetamed winning the Connolly’s Red Mills OBP (opposition beaten percentage) League on 98.2% ahead of Barrichello (97.7), who was an absentee at the weekend as his rider, Cathal Daniels, was heading to Boekelo, and the Steven Smith-partnered Watermolen Cooley (96.7), who last evented here in mid-May. He has since been show jumping but will return to the eventing fold next season.

“This fellow finished sixth in the Junior/Young Riders’ championship at Dublin where he was ridden by Ava Kelly, who had evented him earlier in the season, and I got the ride on him after that,” revealed Whelan. “He’s by Luidam out of a Martell mare and there’s plenty more coming on out of the mare including one I’m just about to start breaking. This fellow is heading to the 2* at Bicton (October 23rd to 26th) and hopefully will go 3* next season.”

EI100

A break awaits Whelan’s second winner of the weekend, the Dutch Warmblood gelding Olivier who, having led after dressage on 25.9, picked up four show jumping penalties and just held on to land the Interchem EI100 championship.

Competing on their Sarah Jane Doyle and Bridgette McCarthy-awarded flat work marks were Jane Fitzgerald on Ballymurphy George (30), Michael O’Toole with Boleybawn Alto (30.4) and Elizabeth Power riding Killbuny Venture (31). One of the 19 starters withdrew before cross-country where no jumping penalties were incurred.

Whelan rode two other horses in this class and they, in common with the winner, lowered one of the coloured poles. “I was lucky that his dressage was so good!” commented Whelan of the Just Wimphof six-year-old who is out of the Davino VOD mare June. “I own this fellow with Julie Radden and we bought him in The Netherlands in February. He’s green for his age and is finished for the season. He’s for sale.

“This was a really good event and it’s a pity more people didn’t support it, though I suppose running after Ballindenisk didn’t help and it was probably a bit late in the year for some,” continued the Co Wexford native who, this season, was unable to prevent Steven Smith putting a stranglehold on all the statistical tables. “The cross-country was very good with a variety of skinnies, corners and angled hedges.”