LISGARVAN House International, now in its third year of running, provided another wonderful weekend of sport for the eventing community with both national and international riders turning up at the Co Carlow venue. The event was spoiled with nice weather throughout the weekend with only a brief damp start to the jumping phases on Saturday morning.

An unfortunate crossover with both the FEI European Championships for Juniors and Young Riders and the newly-minted Scone Palace International Horse Trials meant that the entry list featured fewer than normal international guests. Despite this, only two of the classes saw the tricolour sitting on top of the leaderboard at the end of the weekend.

Though, perhaps on the smaller end entries-wise, the quality of horses in each class wasn’t diminished and the same high standards were delivered by Event Director and landowner Clive Corrigan and his team. “We’ve built this event with care and passion, and we’re so grateful for the support from everyone,” said Corrigan. “I’m happy with how the weekend went and I’d like to thank everyone who was involved from the officials to the volunteers, the owners and the riders.”

Volunteer prizes went to Josephine Peters and Aoife Horan, a nice touch by the event organisers.

High praise

Corrigan also had high praise for cross-country course designers Paul and Alan Brady. “They do such great work with the course and using the land and I think it shows in the horses and riders crossing the finish line,” he added. The tracks followed the same direction as previous years with a few new fences on the tracks which, on the whole, rode well with any of the problems spread out.

Despite the prolonged dry spell leaving the ground on the firm side, the tireless efforts of the team on Friday, aggravating and working on the cross-country track throughout the day, were richly rewarded as horses returned happy from cross-country and every combination presented without issue at Sunday morning’s final trot-up.

As with all events, sponsors are so vital and Lisgarvan had plenty of companies supporting them over the weekend. Ballybar Ireland and Tredstep Ireland sponsored the Best Dressed Rider and Best Turned Out horse respectively in the long format classes. Judged at the first trot-up on Wednesday evening, Amanda Goldsbury, Caroline Powell, John Tilley and Kate Walsh won Best Dressed in their classes.

Often the unsung heroes of the eventing world, it was lovely to see sponsorship by Tredstep Ireland for the grooms. Misha Richardson, Lucy Sanderson and Caoimhe Foley were rewarded for their efforts in turning their horses out and were presented with awards at the Welcome Reception on Thursday evening. Equally, Best In Show Travel sponsored the prizes for the grooms of the winning horse in each class.

It was a weekend to remember for Amanda Goldsbury, who recorded three wins over the weekend earning her the Gain Equine Nutrition-sponsored Leading Rider Award. Speaking about Goldsbury over the weekend, Richard Sheane of Cooley Sport Horses sung his rider’s praises and how lucky they are to have the New Zealand native producing their horses.