THE 2026 Eventing Ireland season got underway last Saturday when the Northern Region staged the first of three spring one-day events at John and Hannah Corbett’s wonderful seaside estate of Tyrella, which looked at its best in the sunshine.

Even the sandy soil here was unable to soak up all the rain over the winter and a large amount of drainage work had to be carried out by the Region’s new cross-country course designer, Andrew Napier, before he could begin work on the fences from the turn of the year.