THERE was widespread disappointment this week when the first Irish international of the year at Ballindenisk was cancelled on Wednesday, just one day before it was due to begin.

Event organiser Peter Fell and his team made the decision on Wednesday morning after heavy overnight rain. “Safety is the absolute and utter paramount of the whole thing. We have to make sure it’s a safe and fair competition. We can’t be sitting afterwards and saying oh God, we shouldn’t have run this.

Fell added: “I really feel so sorry for the riders, I am meeting them now as they are all coming in and I want to go and apologise to them.”

Britain’s Holly Woodhead was one of the many overseas riders on their way when the decision was announced. Speaking to The Irish Field on Friday, she said: “We were about 20 miles away when I got the phonecall that it had been cancelled. It was a real shame to have travelled all that way. I have five horses who all need qualification and running, like many people.”

Woodhead turned the situation into a positive and entered for Tyrella (4) today. “I was very lucky to manage to get stabling at River Lodge Equestrian. Now we are on the way to Tyrella. We spent a lot of money to come over in the first place and I was adamant to get a run because I couldn’t get one at home either.

“The ferry was full on Tuesday night, I would say there was about 15 of us British riders over. I am based down in Swindon and have literally driven all of Ireland now but I am really looking forward to Tyrella, I am the only one who stayed over.”

The first taste of international action will now come at the end of next month with Tattersalls International Horse Trials in Co Meath taking place from May 30th to June 3rd. The event always presents top class competition and includes an FEI Nations Cup competition.