“WINNING my first international event on July 4th, our country’s Independence Day, was just incredible,” said Philadelphia native Gillian Beale King who filled the top three places in the Eventing Ireland CCI2*-L at Kilguilkey House last Sunday.

The sole American competing at the event, Beale King dominated this 24-strong class as, on her dressage scores, she won with the eight-year-old Womanizer gelding Derena Super Star (29.3 penalties), finished second on Ballyvillane OBOS (31.3), a similarly-aged gelding by OBOS Quality 004, and slotted into third with the 12-year-old Creevagh Grey Rebel gelding, Chance Encounter VII (32.1).