THE first of two consecutive Northern Region events at Tullymurry was hosted by the Turley and O’Connor families last Saturday when the Co Down venue escaped the worst of the weather – although it was by no means dry all day. A second event wasn’t on the original calendar but the Co Down venue has stepped in today to replace Glenpatrick which, hopefully, will run next Saturday instead.

“The rain that fell actually helped us as the going was great,” said cross-country course designer David O’Connor who was assisted in building the fences by Jonny Hagan and Dean Salmon. “As a competitor myself, I found the track galloping and flowing, as did others. I’ll keep the same general direction for next Saturday but will bring in a different loop in the centre of the track and swap some fences around.

“Everyone commented on the presentation of the fences which I leave to Marian (his mother-in-law, Marian Turley) and she gets all the grandchildren involved which keeps them connected to the sport.”

It was only by the narrowest of margins that O’Connor was denied a home victory in the EI110 as, riding Helen Fletcher’s Irish Sport Horse gelding Sir Barnabus, he had to settle for second although completing on his Lucinda Webb-Graham-awarded dressage score of 26 penalties, as did Jonny Steele, the Region’s rider representative, with Emily Corbett’s Kinetic Blue.

“I had to go back over the three phases for both riders before I could call a result,” said regional event co-ordinator and secretary, Dora Beacom. “Unbelievably, they completed on the same time across the country, had the same good marks and collective marks in dressage and were both clear show jumping. I actually had to go back to their marks for walk in the first phase to get a result!”

That scrutiny of the dressage sheets saw Steele and Kinetic Blue take the six points on offer for a win while O’Connor and Sir Barnabus picked up five points in second. Steele had ridden Corbett’s eight-year-old Zirocco Blue VDL gelding for the first time in the EI100 at The Clare the previous Saturday when they finished in mid-division. They are entered in the EI110 back at Tullymurry today.

Steven Smith and Hiya Sunny also shared the lead after dressage but picked up a small number of time penalties in both jumping phases to slip to third (30.4). This was Smith’s first time to compete on Patricia Duffin’s unraced home-bred gelding who is usually partnered by Casey Webb. Neil Morrison finished fourth on another thoroughbred, Fire And Fury (36.1), who had a fence down show jumping and was two seconds over the time on the final leg.

Morrison’s second ride, Whats App Alfie, was the only horse not to complete from 16 starters, his jockey deciding to retire before being eliminated in the show jumping ring.

EI110 (Open)

The three-runner EI110 (Open) was won by Steven Smith whose completion score on his own ISH gelding MMF Churchill (32.8), an OBOS Quality 004 nine-year-old, included four show jumping penalties. Local amateur jockey Toni Quail also lowered one of the coloured poles on the Aaron McCusker-designed show jumping track to finish second with her ISH mare, Wellan Summertime (34).

Dora Beacom paid tribute to the day’s volunteers and sponsors. “Once again, I just cannot find words to adequately thank our 70+ volunteers, many of whom had to endure standing out in the (at times) adverse conditions... I make no apology for repeating myself by saying that we are the luckiest organisation in the world because we are surrounded by selfless people who are prepared to give rather than take.

“This week, again, we were blessed to be financially supported by a great many sponsors whose generosity meant that all classes at EI90 and EI80 levels, which don’t normally offer prize money, did so today as well as offering valuable products and services.”