THE Gilford-based operation Smith Brothers Eventing may need a name change following the yard’s increasing presence on the show jumping scene.

Last Sunday, the team loaded up eight horses to compete in the Showjumping Ireland fixture at Portmore where Steven recorded five double clears in the 1.10m class. Behind Victoria Brown on Calgot Cruise, he finished second on Tullaher Pride and third on CJO Kann Surprise, winner of the five-year-old young event horse final at the Dublin Horse Show last August.

Stable jockey Casey Webb also jumped a double clear in Saturday’s class on her own Orestus mare Tykillen Jazz who has already qualified for the five-year-old championship at next month’s Balmoral Show. Expect to see the team out in force this weekend at The Meadows where more Balmoral qualifiers take place today.

Last Saturday, 11 horses left the Smiths’ Ballymac Stud to compete at Tyrella where Steven enjoyed a very successful afternoon. Among those who train with the Smiths are Kim Constable and Symone Brown who both contested the EI110 (Amateur) class where Symone fared the better in third. Naturally enough, given that this was the first Evening Ireland one-day of the year, it was a first opportunity for Australian international Brown to compete since her move north over the winter from Howth to Dromore.