NEW Zealand’s Amanda Goldsbury claimed an incredible three commanding victories at the Lisgarvan three-day event last weekend, her performance following a brilliant preparatory event at Frankfort the week previous where she also won twice.
Her win in the Succeed Equine CCI2*-L came aboard the Irish Sport Horse Cooley Clarissma, where the pair finished on a final score of 26.1, having added just 0.4 time penalties in the show jumping phase to their leading dressage mark of 25.7. This six-year-old mare by Clarimo out of Done Cruising was bred by Tom Doyle and is owned by Carol Coad. She is in her first year under Eventing Ireland rules and already claimed a win back in May at Vesey Lodge as well as two third place results.
Second place went to Maeve Deverell riding Annaharvey Dunowen (ISH by Radolin), who produced a flawless performance across all three phases to finish on their dressage score of 27.0. This home-bred came to Lisgarvan off the back of four wins on the trot and can boast a whopping seven wins this season alone. Goldsbury also took third place with her second ride, KHH Romanov Park, a seven-year-old ISH by Romanov, with another clean sweep keeping their initial dressage score of 29.5 intact. This pair also came to Lisgarvan on the back of two wins.
Sian Coleman and Cairnview Crystal Springs secured fourth with a consistent performance and a final score of 30.3, while Michael McNally and Ardeo Copperton Kryptonite (ISH) picked up 1.2 time penalties in the show jumping to finish fifth on 31.4. Rounding out the top six was Sean Looney riding Bonmahon Triomphant (ISH), completing on their dressage score of 37.1 after clear cross-country and show jumping rounds.
Amanda Goldsbury and Cooley Clarissma CCI2*-L winners at Lisgarvan International Horse Trials \ Louise O'Brien Photography
CCI2*-S
Goldsbury continued her Lisgarvan winning streak in the Botanica CCI2*-S class with Call it Cooley. The pair delivered a faultless performance from start to finish, holding onto their dressage score of 29.5 to secure first place. This six-year-old gelding by Sligo Candy Boy out of Legaland Serpent was bred by Peter Murdock and is owned by Cooley Farm.
Rebekah McKinstry and HVL Jack Pot (Lux Z) followed closely behind, adding just 0.8 time penalties in the show jumping to finish second on 30.8, after a solid dressage performance of 30.0.
Britain’s Andrew Downes and Gold Nugget (Elusive City) also delivered a clear round in both jumping phases, completing on their dressage score of 30.9 to claim third place.
Fourth went to John Tilley on Monbeg Crystal Clear, who added four penalties in show jumping to finish on 34.2, while Tilley’s second ride, Tireragh Wispa (ISH), performed consistently across all three phases to finish fifth on 35.2.
Robbie Kearns and Belline Castle Ziggy (ISH) rounded out the top six, incurring four jumping faults to finish on 35.7.
Speaking from Vilamoura, where she is currently having a well-earned holiday, Goldsbury said she was over the moon to have come away with three wins.
Surreal
“It’s surreal, but I’m absolutely thrilled with the horses. I’m in a very fortunate position to get to produce these lovely horses for Cooley Farm. It does make my job a whole lot easier that Richard (Sheane) picks such lovely ones that are a pleasure to work with. I’m so grateful to the Cooley Farm team, it’s all about team work and I’m lucky to be part of a great team.
“Lisgarvan is a really friendly event and the team are so accommodating. They did an amazing job on the ground. We haven’t had a lot of rain but actually, when you left the start box, the horses ran along really well and the track was very well presented. It was a very educational course for a young horse and they came out of it with a lot of confidence gained.
“Clarissma responded really well to the long format which we had planned for her for this year, it was a good decision to do that with her rather than have them all in the young horse class. She took it in her stride and was just great all week.
“Call It Cooley did the short and he went super.
"He’s a big, big horse and he’s got a lot of talent. He’s jumped seven double clears this year and it’s his first year eventing, which is amazing.
“I’m going to enjoy this holiday now and we will make a plan for them when I get back - it will be straight into planning out nominations for the young horse championships at Le Lion, so it’s all very exciting.”
Owner Richard Sheane described the weekend as a “fairytale”.
“Amanda had broken her ankle in Balmoral, so we missed Millstreet and, as a result, we ended up with quite the bunch for Lisgarvan but it all worked out.
“With Call it Cooley, funnily enough, I was the under-bidder on him as a foal, but the man that bought him was selling him again as a three-year-old at Cavan so I was thrilled to get him. He’s a machine of a horse. He’s quite a tall horse and he’s done everything we’ve asked with no fuss, he’s amazing.
“I bought Clarissma with a friend of ours, Carol Coad, and her daughter rode her as a four and five-year-old, and did Dublin and did a great job. We took her over at the beginning of this year with the idea of trying to get her to this level, so she has exceeded expectations.
“Amanda is obviously an amazing rider, but we really have a brilliant team around us here and it’s a credit to them that we can do what we did last weekend when the pressure is on.
“I’d also like to thank Lisgarvan for putting on such a high standard event, I had many international riders telling me how strong the track was and the ground was amazing. It’s so important for Irish eventing for us to have events of that calibre in the calendar.”