SUPERB weather, 10 classes from 1*-Intro level up to 4*-L, and the presence of many of the world’s top riders, made this year’s Millstreet international horse trials a huge success.

An FEI Eventing Nations Cup and a crucial Olympic qualifier for Groups F and G added to the intensity of the competition and increased pressure on the organisation team. On Saturday morning, they had to deal with heavy fog which resulted in the start being delayed 30 minutes. They allowed for the same on Sunday, deciding to put the start back an hour but the fog didn’t materialise.

Event director Thomas Duggan, who displayed an impressive turn of foot to catch a loose horse on the cross-country on Sunday, paid tribute to the input from Sport Ireland, Horse Sport Ireland, the Irish Horse Board and Eventing Ireland. The last-named body provided the two agrivators which were used non-stop on the cross-country course from 7am on Thursday to lunchtime Friday. He also acknowledged the support of his team and the many, many people who volunteered over the week.

Spectators

One two-star rider, who fell on the cross-country course on Friday, was taken to hospital but was back at the event that evening while one visiting horse, who pulled up on the flat, was picked up by the horse ambulance and remains in Ireland until ready to travel home.

It’s such a pity that more spectators weren’t present to see the World No 1, Tim Price, and the World No 2, his wife Jonelle, in action along with a host of other top names. However, do those of us who have been spoiled over the years want more people there? Besides free entry, where else in the world can you drive into the main cross-country area of an international event and park more or less where you like?

There were three Irish results of significance with the quartet of Joseph Murphy (Calmaro), Sarah Ennis (Grantstown Jackson), Ian Cassells (Millridge Atlantis) and Jenny Kuehnle (Polly Blue Eyes) finishing third in the FEI Eventing Nations Cup which was contested by seven teams.

Murphy finished third individually in that 73-runner CCIO4*-S and, with Calmaro, has been selected for the Nations Cup team in Aachen which was announced on Thursday by Horse Sport Ireland’s interim eventing High Performance director, Dag Albert.

Also of note was Camilla Speirs’s fifth-place finish in the CCI4*-L on the Irish Sport Horse gelding BT Angelo who is owned jointly by the rider’s mother Bridget and Orla O’Neill. The 10-year-old Indoctro gelding was bred by Kate Jarvey out of the Lafontaine mare Decision Day. Their total of 46.1 included 12.4 cross-country time penalties.

Thrilled

“I was thrilled, absolutely delighted,” said Speirs. “My horse was in great form and my main aim is selection for the Europeans in August. I may take him to Aston-Le-Walls before then.

“It was a very well run event which attracted very good riders and very good horses.

“The cross-country was amazing. They did a great job with the ground, the course was cleverly built and the time proved influential. I was lying 21st after dressage and it was great to move up after both jumping phases.

“That’s the way it should be, the jumping phases should be as influential, if not more so, than dressage. Millstreet has set the bar high and other internationals here should strive for that standard.”