CCI2*-L

BRITISH riders won four of the seven senior classes at the Ballindenisk horse trials last weekend but one of those prizes didn’t go for export as Daniel Alderson, who partnered Global Fugitive to victory in the CCI2*-L, is based at the Global Event Horses yard of Brian Morrison and Christopher Hunt near Mallow.

Recording one of just five double clears within the time in the 27-strong class, Alderson and Global Fugitive completed on the dressage score of 30.2 penalties they were awarded by Ireland’s Marie Hennessy (C) and Paula Geiger (B) which, at that stage, had them lying sixth. However, the two jumping phases had their effect on the result and Alderson climbed the leaderboard as the early leaders went in the other direction.

The cross-country fences didn’t cause many problems on Saturday although the well-placed Swedish pairing of Erika Sjostrom and Portofino 81, who were on 27.8 after the flat work phase, picked up 20 jumping penalties and 15.2 for time on their tour of the course. However, even a small number of time penalties resulted in a change to the order while some horses were quite tired when show jumping the following day.

One well-placed Irish combination not to appear for the final leg were Gilford’s Steven Smith and Handsome Starr who were lying second overnight on 25.8 but withdrew before the second horse inspection. Connections thought the September Storm gelding must have stood on something as, while unsound on Sunday morning, he was perfectly fine again two days later.

Hong Kong’s Nicole Pearson dropped from fifth to finish 11th when two seconds over the time across the country on Hanerina SSF who then lowered a pole in the show jumping arena where they also picked up two time penalties.

Despite the addition of 2.4 cross-country time penalties, Sjostrom moved up a place to third with her other ride, Global Narco (31.2), a seven-year-old OBOS Quality 004 gelding who was previously campaigned by Brian Morrison.

Most disappointingly for England-based New Zealander Caroline Powell, who had led from the outset with the ISH gelding Legally Grey (22.5), that seven-year-old Munther bay accumulated 12 penalties in the sand arena and dropped to sixth (34.5).

Special mention must be made of Co Wicklow’s Sarah Keane who finished fourth, on her dressage score, with her mother Avril Hobson’s home-bred Connemara gelding Lon Mac Líomhtha (32), on whom the rider represented Ireland last year at the FEI European pony championships in Strzegom, Poland.

England-based Irish rider Kyla Grieve was a place further back having finished two seconds over the time on Saturday with Bowmore (32.6).

“I love working at Global Event Horses,” said Alderson who celebrated his 28th birthday on Friday. “We have what I think is the best yard in the country, the lads are great to work with and, while we all work hard, we always have a bit of a laugh. This horse will move up to Intermediate level on the national circuit now and then, hopefully, he’ll go for a three-star.”

Global Fugitive, who was Alderson’s only ride at the fixture, is a seven-year-old bay gelding by OBOS Quality 004. He was bred in Co Carlow by Liam Byrne out of the Ricardo Z mare Garrison Nancy.