AS is ever the case with our changing weather, and in direct contrast to seven days earlier, the fourth leg of the Western Region’s Sealac eventing starter series was held in near idyllic conditions at the Hanley family’s Claremorris Equestrian Centre last Sunday.

Competitors, officials and volunteers alike enjoyed a day of almost continuous sunshine under blue skies which certainly benefitted the busy Grace Versey who doubled up as scorer and sheet collector. The day’s flat phase judge, Philip Scott, was very impressed with the competition and format, saying it was great to see this being developed in the west as, when he competed, he had to travel to Punchestown or even further afield.

Charles Hanley built a course of seven influential show jumps followed by a similar number of cross-country fences including water and a bank; the second half of the course was adjusted for the six and seven-year-old class with additional challenges. Commentator and show jumping judge Sinead Hanley kept the action running smoothly throughout the day.

There were repeat successes in the majority of classes but not in the six and seven-year-old section where the honours went to the Irish Sport Horse gelding Harvey Specter who completed on his flat work mark (60.5) under his owner, physiotherapist Hannah Gordon.

This 2016 OBOS Quality 004 bay, who has 20 Showjumping Ireland points to his credit, was bred in Co Roscommon by Pat Sherlock. He is out of the Boswell Mr Heart Breaker mare Creggane Abbie who is a full-sister to Flying Quality (CCI2*-L) and a half-sister to the Lux Z gelding Mr Airborne Magic (CSI3*).

Katharina Wilding finished second and third respectively on her ISH mare Dowdstown Babe (52), a well-related six-year-old by Glasgow vant Merelsnest, and Neifinn Tourmaline (49.5), a similarly-aged, traditionally bred ISH gelding by Colin Diamond out of a Clover Brigade mare.

It was a frustrating weekend for Ballinasloe’s Godfrey Gibbons. At the first Eventing Ireland one-day of the season at Tyrella on Saturday, Gibbons led the 27-runner EI110 after dressage but had to settle for second when Milchem Miami lowered one of the coloured poles and picked up time penalties in both jumping phases.

In Sunday’s six and seven-year-old class, Gibbons was also in the lead following the flat work phase on Conn Boy (61) but unfortunately was later eliminated. However, a clear round with Ballyj Ed (53.5) saw him hold on to the runner-up slot in the Liam Lynskey and Matt Gordon-sponsored Derryronane Stud five-year-old section where Jason Doerflinger partnered the ISH gelding Milchem Echo to victory.

Owned by regional chair Ralph Conroy, with whom Doerflinger is based, Milchem Echo held a clear lead after the first phase and the Musical Pursuit bay needed that advantage as he had a fence down for a completion score of 56. The winner, who was bred in Co Galway by Patrick Dillon, is out of the Nautilus mare Clondavin.

Third series win

Second to come before Scott in the opening Padraig Howley-sponsored Sligo Candy Boy four-year-old qualifier, Tommy Considine would have fancied his chances of seeing off his rivals when awarded 58 marks on board his ISH gelding Creevaghstables Backinfront. Near the end of the class however, and in spite of incurring no jumping penalties, Considine had to give way to Becky Scott who recorded her third win in the series on RDM Ring Of Mercury when completing on her flat work mark of 61.

Fifteen of the 16 entries started in this class. Seven were clear in the jumping phases but four were eliminated.

From Oban in Scotland and based at the Watervalley Stud outside Ballinasloe with partner and fellow Scot Duncan McFadyen, Becky competed through the levels with British Eventing from July 2015 until August 2021, shortly after which the couple moved to Ireland.

“We produce and compete both horses and ponies,” revealed the winning rider. “I currently have two horses of my own, the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Athea Clover Dew (by Sibon) who I successfully evented to up CCI2*-L level last season and this winner. We bought him last October at Cavan sales and broke and produced him slowly over the winter.

“We then did the Eventing Ireland Western Region combined training league at Milchem; we actually train there with Ralph Conroy. This was his third win in the four-year-old section so far and, hopefully, he will keep up these good results for the rest of the year.”

Bred in Co Longford by Michael Kelly, RDM Ring Of Mercury is by Calvaro van de Rechi.

Thoroughbred

Having given herself a day off the previous Sunday, Co Westmeath’s Charlie Walshe returned to the series at Claremorris where she recorded her third win in as many starts in the Treo Eile thoroughbred class on her once-raced five-year-old Vadamos gelding Gervada (60 marks).

Julie Spring finished second on Claremorris winner Lili (57.5), her unraced grey mare by Dahjee, while Sadhbh Gannon slotted into third with the seven-year-old Alhebayeb gelding Dingle Bay (55) who failed to worry the judge in 12 outings on the flat.

Oisin McDonagh posted yet another success in the Milchem Equestrian ponies’ class on Ralph Conroy’s six-year-old bay mare Milchem My Lady (59.5 marks), finishing just ahead of himself on his father Martin’s Full Moon Magic (57.5), a six-year-old gelding by Bog Mac Bobby. Mentioned above, Duncan McFadyen filled the third spot with the Connemara mare Glenford Rose (56.5), a five-year-old by Westonhouse Straboe Bobby.

The last of five qualifiers takes place tomorrow at the Clare Equestrian Centre with the final scheduled for Easter Monday, April 10th at Milchem where the Traditional Irish Horse Association will present a prize for the highest-placed traditional Irish horse in each of the age classes.