THE East Antrims won two of the three inter Branch team competitions at last weekend’s Area 17 Barrier Animal Health Spring Festival at Castle Irvine, Necarne, but only claimed the honours in Sunday’s arena eventing competition by a single mark.

Their number Four quartet of Jake Ross (Mini Digger), Grace McElroy (Cornatully Ezra), Paige Erwin (Knockagarron Fear Bui Phoenix) and Cayleigh Erwin (Murph) won on a combined coverted score of 18 marks. The East Down Five foursome of Ella Tormey, Rose Henderson, Sophia McKenna and Ellen Rodgers finished second, with the Mid Antrim Three quartet just a further single mark behind in third. Thirty-four teams competed.

Two of the Mid Antrim Three team won their individual classes. Holly Logan landed the eight-runner PC100 on the Connemara gelding Owens Shadow, an eight-year-old Silver Shadow grey she competes regularly in breed classes both on the level and over jumps.

Lacie McDowell brought the Branch double up in the PC80, which she landed on board the six-year-old grey mare Tannaghmore Good Girl Carly. Seven combinations recorded double clears, with McDowell finishing closest to the optimum time.

Double clears

There were 44 starters in that class and 39 in the PC90 where, finishing closest to the optimum time of four combinations who went double clear, was Route Branch member Grace Ogle riding the 20-year-old chesnut gelding My Teenage Kicks. Four double clears were also recorded in the 36-runner PC70 class, where the North Downs’ Valentina Danielli claimed the win on the 13-year-old brown mare Danny Girl.

The Arena Eventing section was organised by the East Down Branch, so it was little surprise to see that the cross-country course building was undertaken by the Eventing Ireland Northern Region’s new course designer and builder for this season, Andrew Napier.

Between the extended Napier, Turley and O’Connor families, they practically needed their own campsite over the weekend and extra room on the way home for their haul of prizes and rosettes. The close-knit clan was exceptionally proud when the Horsemanship Award for arena eventing went to Emily Turley.