AN Eventing Ireland one-day was staged at Kilguilkey House last Sunday when the international focus was on the show jumping phase of the long-format classes.

Four of the five starters jumped double clears in the EI100 for five year olds where the honours went to Felicity Ward riding her own and Elizabeth Ahern’s EPA Orlaith. Seven days earlier, this traditionally-bred Irish Sport Horse mare had finished fifth of 37 when making her debut at Grove.

A daughter of the recently-deceased Jackaroo, EPA Orlaith was bred in Co Westmeath by Oliver Young. She is out of the Puissance mare Midnight Hazel who comes from the family of Moher Prince (CCI4*-S).

“This mare is a credit to her breeder and also to Neva McNamara, who produced her beautifully as a four-year-old and from whom we bought her at the end of last year,” said Ward. “Neva did a lovely job with her and is now bringing on her full-sister at her yard near Mullingar.

“This is a lovely mare in every way and quickly became a yard favourite. I’ll continue to show jump and event her over the next few months and then we’ll see if she will go to the Go For Gold Sale or not. I wouldn’t mind if she wasn’t sold as I definitely see her as a horse for Le Lion in 2024,” concluded Ward who reports James O’Callaghan’s Regal Bounty to be in top form following his 15th place finish (from 41 starters) in the CCI5*-L at Luhmühlen.

All but one of the eight starters in Sunday’s non-restricted EI100 completed on their flat work marks led by James O’Haire on Son Of Montague (25.5 penalties). Two others finished on sub-30 penalty scores viz Co Down’s Michael McGaffin on Caseys Cross (26.3), who was having his first EI start in over two years, and Co Wexford’s Patrick Whelan with his Scarteen winner, Ideal Spirit (28.5).

Son Of Montague, who won at Hillcrest (1) in April, is a six-year-old grey gelding by Womanizer. He was bred by his owner, Patricia Heffernan, out of the Ricardo Z mare Tranquil Moonlight who O’Haire campaigned five times under EI rules in 2015.

“The plan is for this fellow to step up to an EI110 at Crecora (Sunday, July 23rd) as he is already show jumping at that level,” said O’Haire of his winner. “I know it was a low-key event but I was delighted that Danny and Michelle held it. I ran five horses – one ridden by my son Jack and one by Emma Egan who works in the yard – and they all finished in the top five.”

Whelan recorded a very easy win in the four-runner EI90 for four year olds with his own and Michael Widger’s ISH gelding Carraiganard Obie. On his only other EI start, this son of Lagans OBOS Quality won a similar class at Scarteen where he also qualified for the young event horse class at Dublin. He was bred in Co Clare by P.J. Roche out of the Rehy High Society mare Newtown Star.

It was good to see Italian international Luca Bortolamei back riding for Carol Gee at this fixture. Here, he finished second on the newcomer Lady Vivi Elm (33 penalties) who had a fence down show jumping.

There were only three starters in the non-restricted EI90 and all completed on their dressage scores. Best of the trio was by Donna Coady riding her home-bred TIH ISH mare DLS Silverspring (36.3 penalties), a 17-year-old chesnut daughter of Grange Bouncer.