BORRIS-based Kilkenny International Sporthorses enjoyed a very successful visit to Scarteen on Tuesday, recording wins in both the young event horse and the working hunter sections. Here, we are concentrating on the former and, in particular, on Anna Stillwell’s wins in the two four-year-old classes.

The Somerset native landed Section A on her own La Vie Vivante (Vivant van de Heffinck - Ardlonan Cruising, by A. Umonia 60), a bay Leah Duffy-bred Irish Sport Horse mare who topped the final leaderboard on a score of 275.5 marks.

Wexford’s Michael Bowe had endured a frustrating day at the performance Irish Draught qualifier in Tullylish on Saturday, so he would have been relieved to qualify in second here on his own ISH gelding BCL Sherlock Holmes (275.4), a bay son of Dignified van’t Zorgvliet.

In Section B, Stillwell amassed 282.4 marks on board Helen Flay’s winning ISH mare Kool Mynta (Coolkeeran - Mynta Van S, by Canterbury), who was bred by Thomas Hutchinson. Wales native John Tilley finished second on the winner’s stable-companion Tailor Made KK (280.6), a bay ISH gelding by Cornet Sun. Debbie Flavin qualified in third on ‘Ruby’ (276.8), an ISH mare by Lagans OBOS Quality.

Judge Sue Ringrose said: “It was my pleasure to judge the YES four and five-year-old classes at Scarteen. I was impressed with the quality of young horses coming forward, in total 76 four-year-olds and 50 five-year-olds. As a coach, it was very pleasing to see that these horses have started their education with empathetic riding skills, building quality foundations, which led to sound performances in the dressage sections.”