THERE was a later than usual start time to last Sunday’s third leg of the combined training league being run by the Western Region of Eventing Ireland at the Milchem Equestrian Centre of regional chairman, Ralph Conroy.

This decision had been taken to facilitate the many members of the organising committee who had attended the previous night’s East Galway hunt ball at the Meadow Court Hotel in Loughrea and so needed a little recovery time! Happily, on hand to supply aid in the form of a hearty breakfast was Caroline Madden from Gordon’s Restaurant in Tynan who has provided catering throughout the league.

Sixty-four combinations rode new tests before the day’s dressage judge Daniel Carey. Twenty of these were in the EI90 class where Lara Field completed on her winning flat mark (24.75 penalties) with her mother Marjorie Hardiman’s home-bred Irish Sport Horse mare, Creganna Milady. The only others to finish on a sub 30-penalty score were Oisin McDonagh on Milchem My Lady (27.25) and Jason Doerflinger riding WCE O’Dea (29.5).

Final this weekend

Heading into tomorrow’s final, McDonagh and Conroy’s six-year-old home-bred mare are in pole position in the 90cms league on 10 points, having won the first two legs. Four points adrift in second is Field with Creganna Milady. Another six-year-old, this bay is by the Selle Francais sire Koro d’Or T

Two combinations are on 10 points apiece in the EI80 league and both recorded their second wins last Sunday.

The honours in Section A went to Doerflinger on board Conroy’s ISH mare Milchem Ladybird (24.75 penalties), a home-bred chesnut by Ganesh Hero Z out of Milchem Dreaming (by Ramon) while regional secretary Marie Dunne claimed Section B on board Arascragh Clover Lady (26.25). Also known as Bundee, this seven-year-old Friary Clover bay is out of the All The Diamonds mare Jeweller.

For the record, the respective second-placed ponies on Sunday were the well-known Connemara geldings Creganna Dandini, who completed on 29 penalties under owner-breeder Marjorie Hardiman, and Tullaree Fear Bui (26.75) who was ridden by Eillie Rogan for her mother Cathy Cooper and joint-owner Nicola Main.

A second win on Sunday promoted Rebecca Scott and her ISH mare Athea Clover Dew to the top of the EI100 league on 10 points. Scott and her nine-year-old daughter of Sibon W (out of the Clover Clon VII mare) completed on their flat work mark (27.25) as did the second-placed combination of Hazel McCann and the show jumper Fortmoy Pippa (28.74), a 12-year-old ISH mare by Cruisings Micky Finn.

Katie Gibbons and Milchem Mischief, who are lying second in that EI100 league on eight points, led after dressage but lowered one of the coloured poles to finish third on 29.

Gibbons takes top placings

All four starters erred in the show jumping phase of Sunday’s EI110 class where, with a fence down apiece, Gibbons’s brother Godfrey finished first and second with the Conroy-bred pair Milchem Free Spirit (29.75 penalties) and Milchem Miami (31.75).

The former, who is owned by the rider’s mother Marie Dunne and leads the league on 10 points, has twice represented Ireland under Godfrey at European junior eventing championships, placing fifth last July at Hartpury. The 11-year-old Contra A mare is out of Milchem Clover Lad (by Nautilus). Evanna Howard lies second in this league on eight points with her eight-year-old Financial Reward mare Stella who was third on Sunday on 36 penalties.