THE Gilford-based Smith Brothers Eventing team enjoyed a very successful trip to Hazeldene last Saturday with Casey Webb being the first to strike when landing the four-runner EI115 (Open) on June Burgess’ Irish Sport Horse gelding Cecil Bready.

“I’m really fond of him,” said Webb of the Lewis Lowry-bred 11-year-old Templebready Fear Bui bay on whom she took over the ride at the start of the season. “We’ll keep competing him at Intermediate level for the moment and might get in some internationals over the summer. It was great jumping all those natural fences on the cross-country course which was well up to standard and really well-dressed.”

Having finished fifth on Patricia Duffin’s home-bred thoroughbred Hiya Sonny in the EI110, Webb filled the first two places in the 19-runner EI100 on home-bred ISH mares.

She claimed the honours, on her dressage score, with another new ride for this season, Nelgara Lucy Locket (25.8). Although bred in Co Cork by owner Sean Moher, this seven-year-old Diamond Discovery bay is very much a product of northern breeding being out of the Porsch mare Ringfort Rara Ruby (CIC3*) whose previous produce included the Luidam gelding Ringfort Rua (CCI3*-S).

The David Mitchell-owned and traditionally-bred Our Pollyanna, a seven-year-old by Yeats (ISH) out of the unraced Alderbrook mare Scrabo, once again showed her liking for Hazeldene when, with 0.8 of a cross-country time penalty, she placed second on 28.3. The grey also filled the runner-up slot in the EI100 here last season having won the EI90 12 months previously.

Speaking in general and then more in detail about the winner, Webb commented: “I love doing well on these home-bred horses, especially mares, as the owners are so committed to the sport and it’s great to see them being rewarded. I’d like to get ‘Lucy’ consolidated at this level and then, perhaps, move her up a grade before the end of the season.

“Myself and Steven (Smith) were back at Hazeldene on Sunday for the Go-As-You-Please with three four and five-year-olds apiece some of whom will be aimed at the Young Eventhorse qualifiers. It was great to a get them out on grass.”

Smith rode four horses in Saturday’s 18-runner EI110 and finished first, on his winning dressage score with Susan O’Shea’s ISH gelding Tullaher Paudie (18.8 penalties), a six-year-old Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan bay who was bred in Co Clare by Charles Killeen out of the Lux Z mare Tullaher Luxpat.

He also placed second on Ann Bowe’s seven-year-old Kings Master gelding The Kings Ransom, whose total of 21.5 included 1.2 cross-country time penalties; and third, on his dressage score, with Terry Johnston’s six-year-old Luidam gelding Strangford (25). Having had a fence down show jumping, Smith took it slowly across the country to finish ninth on CJO Kann Surprise (34.2). All four horses were making their debuts at this level.

Symone Brown, winner of the EI110 (Amateur) with Merlot is trained by the Smiths while, on Sunday, the second of two Gilford quartets won the Northern Ireland Riding Clubs’ outdoor team show jumping championships at Knockagh View EC. The club is based at Ballymac Stables where members are coached by Trevor Smith.