THE pandemic-affected national eventing season finally got underway this year at the beginning of July when, as organisers struggled to cope with both demand for starting places and Covid-19 restrictions and protocols, the phenomenon of split events became a feature of the Eventing Ireland calendar.

Over that first weekend of Saturday and Sunday, July 4th and 5th, events were held at Crecora and Lisgarvan House. As this was the first time the new format was utilised, there were bound to be teething problems and the Co Limerick venue certainly suffered from a lack of runners on the second day, while, in contrast, there were well-filled classes in Co Carlow.