BALLINASLOE’s Godfrey Gibbons claimed the top spot in both RDS Junior/Young Rider event horse classes at the Young Eventhorse Series (YES!) qualifier in Scarteen last Tuesday week, comfortably winning Section A on DS Conn Boy and narrowly landing Section B on Kilnamac Kasu.

Liam Lynskey’s DS Conn Boy, a six-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by DS Are You With Me out of Michael Barrett’s Silvano mare Portroe Girl, showed consistency through the phases. Third, but somewhat off the pace following the ridden display (105.5), he lost a point for time in jumping but easily topped Maurice Coleman’s suitability and potential marks in this phase (32) for a total of 296.5.

Riding for Carol Gee, the USA’s Annika Weisjahn finished second here on An Gádái (289.5), a 2017 ISH gelding by Koro d’Or who was bred in Co Mayo by Padraic Judge out of the Carrabeg Nico mare Moyhenna Star (See Pony Tales, page 98). Disappointingly for Georgina Pettit, BCL Dynamic failed to mirror her excellent flatwork score (116.5) in the Derby arena and dropped out of contention.

Gibbons and his mother Marie Dunne’s previously-qualified Kilnamac Kasu (298.5 points), a Kannan gelding from the family of Electric Lux (CCI4*-S) and Electric Cruise (CCI4* and Olympic Games), also displayed consistency to win Section B on 298.5 points. Last August, this combination competed in the five-year-old young event horse class at Dublin.

Finishing second here with Deravarra Rise n Shine was Co Westmeath’s Chloe Fagan to whom I owe an apology as, contrary to what I wrote in my Forth Mountain report, she did jump clear in the CCI3*-L at Millstreet on Comte Ligniere Z earning an MER (her penalties were for time).

Owned and bred by the rider’s father Mark and the winner and third in two CCI1*-Intros in France and The Netherlands last October, the ISH gelding Deravarra Rise n Shine is a seven-year-old by Caricello out of the Exit To Nowhere mare Derravarra Bay who was placed twice over fences and once in a point-to-point.

Co Wicklow’s Jasper Kelly qualified in third on his mother Lucy’s ISH mare Twentypark Amber Lady who he has partnered in five Eventing Ireland competitions this season and in four Show Jumping Ireland-affiliated classes. The six-year-old chesnut is a daughter of the Irish Draught stallion Eponastables Uibh Fhaili.