CCI1*-Intro

THE CCI1*-Into at Ballindenisk last week attracted 38 entries (37 starters) from a variety of riders for a variety of animals with a mix of experience behind them.

This was one of three classes at the Fell family’s Co Cork venue which was judged by Faith Ponsonby (C) and John Lyttle (B) and here their combined dressage scores ranged from 28 to 40 penalties with just four combinations breaking through the 30-penalty barrier.

The leader after that first phase was Co Meath-based New Zealand international Amanda Goldsbury riding Zoe Duggan’s Irish Sport Horse gelding Rock Phoenix. Disappointingly for his connections, the six-year-old Spirit House gelding had a fence down show jumping and dropped to second behind the Jenny Kuehnle-ridden Cesario P (28.9) who recorded one of just five double clears inside the time.

Owned by Cathal Daniels, Cesario P is a 10-year-old Brandenburg gelding by Cinsey (a son of Colandro). The chesnut began competing under Eventing Ireland rules in early May last year. He obviously likes Ballindenisk as his only other success came in an EI100 class here later that month. He had accumulated a lot of time faults in his three previous outings this season but didn’t put a foot wrong last weekend.

Britain’s Jemima Cross was one of those who jumped a double clear which saw her finish third with the ISH gelding Cooley Cosmopolitan Diamond (32.2) who was first produced here by Sarah Ennis; she would have finished second had it not been for an error in her dressage test.

While the 2011 Canturo bay competed up to CCI3*-L level with Sweden’s Sofia Sjoborg, he has gone back down to basics this season with 18-year-old Cross who jumped him in Vilamoura in the early part of the year before bringing him back to eventing.