WHEN the Fell family applied to stage a leg of the Horse Sport Ireland autumn eventing development series at Ballindenisk, they chose to run it as a combined training competition and did so last Sunday.

“The whole day went well,” said Peter Fell. “We didn’t have the consistent heavy rain that some parts of the country did but just a few bad showers. Anyway, as we were able to stage both phases in the large sand arena, the rain didn’t affect us.”

Fraser Duffy dominated the EI110 for six-year-olds, winning on Carol Gee and Deirdre Lanigan’s You Two Hotshot (33.4 penalties) and placing second with Gee’s Colandro bay Liscarrow Fernhill (37), the less experienced of the pair. Both Irish Sport Horse geldings completed on their dressage scores unlike their rivals.

You Two Hotshot, a bay son of Warrenstown You 2, was bred in County Waterford by Vahe Bogossian out of the Iroko mare Ballinamonapark Honey.

Despite picking up four show jumping penalties, Sian Coleman and her ISH gelding Kilroe Lego Land (34.3) held on to win the EI100 for five-year-olds from Darren O’Connor and Newmarket Apollo (35.5), an Irish Sport Horse gelding by Newmarket Venture.

The winner, who was bred in Co Carlow by Robert Moore, is by Cavalier Land out of the unraced Gracefull Kate (by Rashar).

Crucial

Clear rounds proved crucial in the EI90 for four-year-olds where Ella Geary and her ISH mare Greannanstown Ivy Rose (35.3) got the better of Lucy Rose McCarthy and her ISH mare Coolcorron Cool As A Breeze (36.3), a chesnut daughter of Island Commander.

By KEC Maximum Joe, the winner was bred in Co Tipperary by John Martin McLoughney out of the OBOS Quality 004 mare Soolmoy Lady, a full-sister to Fernhill Q (CCI2*) and from the family in its further removes of top-class National Hunt horses Willie Wumpkins and Truckers Tavern.

In addition to the competitive events taking place at Ballindenisk over the next few weeks, a Fun Ride will be held there on Bank Holiday Monday, October 31st. This is a fundraiser for the East Cork Rapid Response (ECRR) life support and critical care service.

Series continues

The Horse Sport Ireland autumn eventing development series continues tomorrow at the Milchem Equestrian Centre in Tynagh where there will be four combined training age classes – for six- and seven-year-olds, five-year-olds and four-year-olds (90cms and 80cms) and, in common with Ballindenisk, height classes for horses and ponies of any age.

The final leg of the series takes place this day fortnight, Saturday, October 29th at the Wexford EC, Tomhaggard where the competition will be run as arena eventing with four age classes – seven- and eight-year-olds, six-year-olds, five-year-olds and four-year-olds – and three height classes open to all.

Entries, which close on Monday, October 24th, must be made through the Eventing Ireland website.