THIS is a special period in the life of Ballynahinch’s Tom Rowlatt-McCormick whose time in school came to an end this week, although he is facing into a month of intense study for his A Levels.

The 17-year-old prefaced the occasion with a win in the Cameron Kiernan Landscaping CCI1*-Intro at Ballindenisk last Sunday on the Irish Sport Horse mare R Ballerina whose owner, Clare Steele, drove the lorry down to Co Cork leaving the rider’s mother, Fran, free to relax and enjoy one of her favourite events.

“Ballindenisk improves year on year,” said Fran, “and this event was really well run. The ‘Youth Supper’ on Friday was a great idea and it was wonderful to see all the youth high-performance managers and coaches on hand. So too were Debbie Byrne and Terry Boon who train Tom at home and helped him here.”

Lying fourth after dressage, Rowlatt-McCormick was double clear inside the time to claim the win with R Ballerina (29.5) ahead of his Irish compatriot Antonia Ward who, too, completed on her flat work mark to place second with Egans Watermill Crest (31.3). That Watermill Swatch mare was having her second start of the season (competed hors concours in the EI100 at Tyrella (2)) while R Ballerina had lined out in the EI110 (J) at all three Tyrella events.

Confidence

“I had hoped to get this mare qualified in time for the two-star-short here but, with all the cancellations, that didn’t happen,” said the winning rider. “However, this worked out as a confidence builder and good practice for the next time which I hope will be Millstreet. She did a very good test and was good across the county although I thought it rode more difficult than it walked. I had entered Mon Ami Alme for the two-star but she isn’t quite fit enough yet. She too will go to Millstreet.”

R Ballerina was bred by her owner’s husband Jonny Steele who trains Rowlatt-McCormick for cross-country, building challenging lines all the time so that the rider learns to react to situations as he finds them. The eight-year-old Centre Stage mare is out of Renkum Blathainn (by Renkum Lancelot) who is dam also of Rocco II (CIC3*). In its further removes, this is the family of the thoroughbred stallion Prominer.

Saturday’s show jumping phase had a big influence on the results as Britain’s Mariella Letman, who led after dressage with PLS Coconuts (26.4), left the arena with an additional 11.2 penalties while Ireland’s Amy Ennis Crosbie, who was lying second (27.2), was eliminated when Limestone Spartacus picked up 20 jumping penalties.

Ireland’s Lee Bloomfield was also eliminated in the show jumping phase when unseated from Totally Special at the first fence. Hong Kong’s Owen Wong parted company from KEC Safia at fence three on the cross-country track where Ireland’s Kim Constable retired Peter The Great at fence six.