JUDGING duties at the Eastern Region’s first show of the year at Marlton on Sunday were divided between Donie McNamara (List 1) and David Lee (List 3).

The latter awarded the day’s highest score in the Novice BD39 to Finn O’Gara and his Dutch Warmblood gelding Never Too Late (75.77%). This was a first start of the season for O’Gara and his five-year-old son of High Five U.S. who finished well clear of Amy Jo Peskens and Lucy Lulu (67.50) in the four-runner class.

Lee’s other winners included Ailis Cullen and her 17-year-old roan gelding Ould Son (75.42%) in the Preliminary BD19, Wendy Seymour with her Irish Sport Horse mare Carrick Diamond Lilly (70), a 13-year-old by Carrick Diamond Lad, in the eight-runner Elementary BD59 and the home-based Barbara Delahoyde and Marlton Scout (65.30) in the match for honours in the Medium BD69.

Delahoyde and her 10-year-old black mare also saw off one rival to win the McNamara-judged Advanced Medium (the FEI Junior team test) on 60.30% while there were just four starters in the Preliminary DI6 where McNamara’s winner was Mary Fenelon Bourke and Enniskerry Trendy (68.65), her 14-year-old mare by Tinaranas Inspector.

None of McNamara’s winners breached the 70% mark, Siofa Pratt coming closest in the seven-strong Novice DI21 where she scored 69.48 on the traditionally-bred Ballarin My Grace, her 10-year-old chesnut mare by Kings Master out of the Nash Me mare Seefin Rosewood.

Seven combinations came before McNamara in the Elementary DI52 which Kim McCann won on board the home-bred mare Bray Summer Breeze (67.22%), a 15-year-old chesnut daughter of Harlequin du Carel.

There were two starters apiece in the Advanced Medium BD98 and the Prix St George which were won respectively by Elaine Cross-Johnson riding her Dutch Warmblood gelding Devilingh (65.53%), a 15-year-old son of Lingh, and Josephine Delahoyde with the Holstein gelding Cashmere (68.53), a 12-year-old by Catoo.