THE sun made a welcome appearance at last Saturday’s final qualifying round of the 2026 Baileys Horse Feeds flexi eventing series at The Meadows, but not until the ground staff, officials, volunteers, riders and their support teams had dealt with a morning of frost and ice.

For some time, it has been clear that the 2026 title would be heading the way of Isaac McCarthy with Dawn Carlisle’s Suirvalley Little Monkey but, on Saturday, when they scored 78.5%, the combination had to settle for second in the 25-runner Intro A dressage judged by Lucinda Webb-Graham.

The class winner, and league runner-up, was Sarah Cowan who claimed the honours on 78.8 with Patrick Heskin’s seven-year-old Connemara gelding Gleann Rua Storm. Finishing third (74.8) on Saturday, and in the league, was Helen Sawey-Quinn on board her eight-year-old traditionally-bred Irish Sport Horse gelding Conor.

Starting later than others, league placings weren’t foremost in the minds of those associated with Ella Boyle’s Glebe Equine yard, which has made its mark over the past three weeks at Pre Novice level. On Saturday, 16 combinations appeared before Vanda Stewart whose only two scores over 70% were achieved by Ben Rainey on the Boyle-owned pair of ISH geldings, Monbeg Dunard Blue (76.8) and Monbeg Comet (71), both graduates of the 2024 Goresbridge Go For Gold Sale.

The former, who was bred in Co Westmeath by Maeve Cuffe and won the Balmoral Star of the Future performance horse championship last May, is a six-year-old grey by Zirocco Blue VDL out of Samenta, by Monaco, while the latter is a traditionally-bred five-year-old son of the Connemara stallion Abbeyfield Comet.

Jill Revill’s trip up to the McCusker family’s Lurgan venue from north Co Dublin paid off when she finished third with her ISH gelding Lislan Chacfly (69.8), a six-year-old bay by Chacfly PS who has 60 Show Jumping Ireland points to his credit.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if the three horses above lined out at The Meadows this day week when qualification commences for this year’s Star of the Future championship at Balmoral as does qualification for the performance Irish Draught championship at the four-day May show.

There were just four starters in Saturday’s Stewart-judged Novice dressage, which was won on 69% by Denis Currie with his 16-year-old, Anthony Ryan-bred ISH gelding Merlot (Lancelot - Furisto Melody, by Furisto) on whom, having once again show jumped clear, he holds a very narrow lead in the Plusvital Spring Series CT110 league.

On a score of 66.2%, Erin McCrea recorded an uncontested victory in the Intermediate with her father Clinton’s 19-year-old Hanoverian mare Eisfee (Embassy - Finale 140, by Foxhunter) on whom she competed under both Eventing Ireland and Pony Club rules in 2025.