A FULL morning of dressage at The Meadows last Saturday was followed by the presentation of the Baileys Horse Feeds flexi eventing prizes. These were made by the company’s Irish representative, Judy Maxwell, who quite possibly saw all 540 combinations who competed in the league in action in one phase or another over the seven qualifying rounds.

All 15 league prize-winners were present, as were the winners of the Riding Club and Pony Club awards, and it was great to see everyone so well turned-out for the occasion. So too were the combinations rewarded for their efforts through the league by the Traditional Irish Horse Association, represented by Victoria Teuton, and Treo Eile, the organisation promoting the use of ex-racehorses and thoroughbreds in other equestrian pursuits.

The latter group was represented by one of its founders, Sarah Sands, whose first visit to The Meadows on Saturday was marked by the performance of her ex-racehorse Clebourne in the 26-runner Intro class which was judged by Will McAuley.

Under Banbridge’s Michael McGaffin, the seven-year-old Camacho gelding shared the top spot on 68.3% with the Nicola Martin-owned and ridden Lavender, a five-year-old mare by Elusive Emir out of a Clonalkilty Hero dam.

The bay Irish Sport Horse should have made her competitive debut last year but had an extra long spell in the field as Nicola suffered an injury to her heel which required surgery and a considerable amount of time in recuperation. Obviously the combination is now primed and ready for the season ahead but at today’s Northern Region two-phase at Tyrella, Lavender is due to be ridden by Martin’s partner, Nicky Corr, in the 85/90cms class.

Clebourne, who Lucca Stubington partnered in the Treo Eile thoroughbred show jumping challenge before Christmas, was first retrained by Liam Hayes at the Curragh Equine Rehabilitation Centre. Out of the Hurricane Run mare Viva Diva, he ran 10 times on the flat for trainer Darren Bunyan, winning a six-furlong handicap at Dundalk Stadium as a three-year-old in February 2018. His last appearance on the racecourse came at the same Co Louth track the following August.

McGaffin doubled up when winning the 23-strong Pre-Novice class, which was judged by Lucinda Webb-Graham, with his own show horse cum eventer Greenhall Rock N Roll (76.8). The tall, seven-year-old bay ISH gelding was bred in Co Wicklow by Derry Rothwell and is by his home-bred Crosstown Dancer stallion Greenhall out of the Laughton’s Flight mare Darantus Flight.

Gemma Goodwich filled the runner-up spot with Norma Wilkinson’s Remember Bea (74.3), a five-year-old Ramiro B mare who was bred in Co Down by Alison Mercer out of the thoroughbred mare Cove Point (by Balla Cove).

Denis Currie and his 17-year-old Shannondale SArco St Ghyvan gelding Arodstown Aramis, winners of the Baileys Horse Feeds flexi eventing series, rounded off their spring season at The Meadows by winning both the Novice and Intermediate classes.

Groom of the Year

In a change from the norm, the Northern Region of Eventing Ireland chose last Saturday as the occasion on which to present the annual Ruth Eyre-Pugh-sponsored ‘Groom of the Year’ award which is based on submitted nominations.

Thanks to a citation submitted by his daughter, Rebekah McKinstry, the 2021 winner was announced as Aaron McKinstry who, we were told, supports his daughter in bad times as well as good and funds her sport.

He also drives her to events across the country and, last year, that included a trip down to Mallow in Co Cork where Rebekah had her first start in an international event at Kilguilkey House, finishing 15th of 29 in the CCI1*-Intro on Aaron’s Connemara mare, Cornhill Rose.