IRELAND’s Carla Williamson, who is in her initial year of Juniors, recorded her first international success in non-restricted company at last week’s Millstreet international horse trials. And, she took no prisoners in doing so as she landed the 63-runner Carr & Day & Martin CCI1*-Intro on her winning dressage score with Karolita O (23.9 penalties).

Williamson and the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Firestone, who is jointly-owned by Anne Magee and Jane Hancock, were first chased by Co Westmeath junior rider Maeve Deverell on Annaharvey Dunowen (25), by Co Meath senior rider Sarah Ennis with DS Are You Calypso (27.3) and by Co Down pony rider Maya Constable on Rockon Pedro (27.5).

Deverell dropped out of contention following a 12-penalty show jumping round on Saturday with Kilkenny-based British international John Tilley moving up into fourth on Tireragh Wispa (27.6), being one of relatively few in such a big field to leave all the poles intact. Unfortunately for Welsh native Tilley, there was no repeat performance over the fixed fences the following morning and he was be replaced in the top four by Co Wexford’s Patrick Whelan, who completed on his flat work mark with MBF Galavanto (29.7).

Three combinations were eliminated across the country on the final day of competition and five the previous day in the show jumping phase, after which another joined them following an automatic process.

It was a particularly good few days for the Williamson family as Carla’s success in the Intro class and her good performances in the CCI2*-L with the 17-year-old thoroughbred Goldman (eighth) and the seven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Powers (21st with a fence down show jumping) were mixed in with a hurdle race success for her brother Josh at Listowel on Saturday and followed by a win for Carla and Powers in one of the Junior/Young Rider RDS qualifiers at Tullylish on Tuesday.

“Carla was in TY this year so we were able to target the events in the north in the spring,” said the rider’s mother, Janet Williamson, “Cornbury is the main target this year but we might squeeze in another international before then and, of course, we love Dublin so it’s great to have Powers qualified already.”

Carla won the CCIP-L here last year on Galco with whom she represented Ireland at the pony Europeans in Westerstede, Germany where they were on the silver medal-winning team.