FOLLOWING qualifiers at Kilguilkey House and Castle Irvine, Necarne, the final of the Horse Sport Ireland four-year-old eventing development series took place last Wednesday week at the start of the Ballindenisk International Horse Trials.

The judges were the four-star cross-country course designer Helen West, who judged the Dubarry Burghley young event horse final this year, Seppo Laine who was chairman of the ground jury for three classes at Ballindenisk, and British competitor Kirsty Chabert who, last week, failed to add to her good record in Ireland this season.

The winner, as she was at Kilguilkey House, was the Clare Abbott-ridden MT Luxaan who has yet to compete under Eventing Ireland rules but has winning form with Show Jumping Ireland and finished fifth in the prestigious Mo Chroi championship for that age group at the Dublin Horse Show in August.

By the Holstein stallion Cazaan, MT Luxaan is owned by Abbott and her partner Gareth Carlisle who bred the Ballindenisk winner out of the Lux Z mare Lux So Easy. The dam’s first foal, MT Star Lux (by Mullaghdrin Touch The Stars), won the potential young event horse class at Dublin in 2019.

“Dot is just unbelievable!” said Abbott. “I’ve never had a young horse who has so much talent and ability (for two jobs) combined with such a positive, level-headed attitude. We knew she was very special and just set about doing the best job we could producing her; Gabriel Tunney kept us right with the show jumping end of things. She’s a gorgeous model and we thought she would enjoy this eventing series. We’ll keep her for another show jumping season and go from there. She has a lovely Valent filly foal on the ground via embryo transfer with a Conthargos due next year.”

Patrick Whelan finished second on his own Ramonaa C who has been placed three times in four EI90 starts. A mare by the Holstein stallion Clarimo, this bay was bred by Seamus Carew out of the Swedish Warmblood mare Happy Choice. The dam’s 2015 Orestus gelding Altitu finished sixth under Whelan in last week’s CCI3*-S.

Ella Geary rode Ballingowan Curious to finish third. A gelded son of the Zangersheide stallion Adieu Z, the bay was bred by owner, Ann O’Grady, out of the Master Imp mare Ballingowan Boula.