NICKY Roncoroni marked her first international appearance under the Irish flag with an all-the-way win in the Carr & Day & Martin CCI1*-Intro at Millstreet last weekend on her mother Janey’s Irish Sport Horse gelding Carrigshawn Ebony.

Roncoroni picked up two cross-country time penalties to complete on 31 with the HHS Cornet six-year-old, who was bred in Co Waterford by Jack Warner out of the Cult Hero mare Carrigsean Hero. He was purchased by his present connections, from his breeder, for €9,000, at the 2023 Goresbridge Go For Gold Sale. This is the family of Carrigsean Tigerseye (CCI4*-S) and The Masters Harry (CCI4*-S).

“We took him along nice and slowly, as we always do with our young horses,” commented the Co Kilkenny-based rider. “We are producing him for the long term and to try to do well at the big events. I was going to enter him for the 2* but, given the ground conditions, I’m glad we went for the Intro instead. Ideally, I’d love to take him to Le Lion but, as only three six-year-olds can go, you need to have other plans.

“He needs more mileage and experience at EI110 level, then I’d like him to go 2* to get our qualifications for Le Lion. However, I think the six-year-old class at Cornbury is a more realistic target. His spring season didn’t work out as we had planned, as I broke my hand. He’s the only eventer in the yard at present.

“I’ve a mare (Dermish Obi) jumping 1.45m, an ex-racehorse (Easy Game), who I’d like to do a bit of eventing with while his owner will show him, and a four-year-old who will be coming back in shortly. I’ve been very busy doing some pre-training for Willie Mullins, while I have some lovely livery clients in the yard.

“As ever, it was a pleasure to compete at Millstreet. The cross-country was a proper championship track, which was beautifully presented. They were very unlucky that the ground went against them this year - it was incredibly holding and tacky.”

Dressage score finish

Hollie Smith had planned on sticking to the EI100 (Amateur) circuit with her father Steven’s Mr Diceman but, following wins at Vesey Lodge and Hazeldene, she made a late decision to enter this CCI1*-Intro. And what an excellent move that proved to be, as she and the 12-year-old ISH gelding not only finished second (35.5) but were one of only two combinations to complete on their dressage score through all the FEI classes.

The Ringfort Cruise-sired Mr Diceman was bred by the Northern Region’s treasurer, John McBride out of the unraced Love On The Wing (by Winged Love).

Riding for her mother Claire Goodwillie, 16-year-old Eve Doyle finished third with the ISH gelding King Of Moveen (Rehy High Society - Moveen Queen, by Glencarrig Finn), narrowly failing to match Smith’s feat when one second over the time across the country for a total of 37.9.

“We have owned King Of Moveen since November 2024,” said the 13-year-old’s delighted owner. “We bought him from Claire O’Farrell, who did a fabulous job of producing him up to 2* level. Eve works part-time at Kilkenny International; Andrew, John and all the team there are very much a part of her success.

“She’s a Kilkenny Hunt Pony Club member, planning on taking her B Test this year. Plans for the summer would be to gain more experience at 1.10m level with an eye on another international and also the Pony Club Nations Cup at Ballindenisk.”

Another Junior rider, David Kiely finished fourth (45.5) with his father Roger’s eight-year-old ISH mare SCS Ballycoskerry Cardento (HSF Cardento Royale - The Ginger Girl, by The Ginger Boy). The 17-year-old Leaving Certificate student improved from 11th (on 35.5) after dressage, despite having a pole down show jumping and picking up a small number of time penalties in both jumping phases.

Kiely has also started competing Claragh Road for Michael Ryan and Nick Pomeroy.

There were three non-Irish riders in the class; Australia’s Kevin and Emma McNab, who withdrew Monbeg Kobe (33.6) and Caspari (33.9) before cross-country, and France’s Laurene Yviquel who was automatically eliminated after the show jumping phase. Two other combinations were also eliminated after that phase, as were two over the fixed fences.