THE seventh, and last, qualifier for tomorrow’s final of the Horse Sport Ireland affiliate combined training challenge 2022 was hosted by the Western Region of Eventing Ireland at the Hanley family’s Claremorris Equestrian Centre last Sunday.

In the EI110 section, Co Mayo physiotherapist Hannah Gordon claimed the first qualifying ticket when completing on her dressage score with Liam Lynskey’s Irish Draught stallion DS Ballagh Bouncer (39 penalties). Gordon’s father Matt also qualified, in second, for tomorrow’s final despite picking up four jumping penalties on his Irish Sport Horse gelding Candy Liqueur (43), a Grade C nine-year-old by Sligo Candy Boy.

The much-beribboned and multi-tasking DS Ballagh Bouncer, a 10-year-old grey son of Moylough Bouncer, was bred by Brendan Duffy out of the Mount Diamond Flag mare Mount Diamond Princess. In addition to competing in breed classes on the flat and over jumps, DS Ballagh Bouncer jumped at 1.15m level in registered company last summer.

In the EI100 division, Hannah qualified in second, on her dressage score, with her father’s six-year-old OBOS Quality 004 gelding Harvey Specter (31.75). Here, the winner was Sligo solicitor Donnacha Anhold and his 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Emperor G (28.25) who was previously evented at EI110 level by Florence Campbell.

Lizzy Naughton booked her place in tomorrow’s EI90 final when winning Sunday’s qualifier with her ISH gelding Andyanderson (29.50), a bay by Bahrain Cruise out of a Doranstowns Hallo mare, with Lara Field claiming the second ticket on her mother Marjorie Hardiman’s home-bred Connemara mare Creganna Kerfuffle (31.75), a seven-year-old grey by Silver Shadow.

The Field/Hardiman family was well-represented at EI80 level but failed to pick up a ticket as Emma Lawrence won with the ISH gelding Acrefield Enzo (31), a five-year-old bay by Ross Fear Bui, while Amy Grady took the second qualifying ticket on Glinsk Star (34.25).