RHIANNON Burton only moved from Wales to Ireland last October and, in her first season here, has secured a ticket for the young event horse championships at the Dublin Horse Show with her own four-year-old Kilmanahan Ulysses.

She did this when finishing third at Forth Mountain on the Irish Sport Horse gelding who fulfilled his obligation of competing at a second qualifier when winning on the impressive score of 293.1 points in Section A of the four-year-old class on Wednesday at Tullylish.

Here, Emma Jackson qualified in second on Sarah McClelland’s grey Lancelot gelding RRS Joe (284.4) with Ciaran Moran likewise booking his spot in the Dublin starting field when third with his I’m Special de Muze gelding Danny De Muze (283.2).

Burton is working in Co Meath for Dermot Considine from whom she purchased Kilmanahan Ulysses before Christmas last year, stating: “At first, I loved his temperament and then, when I broke and started riding him, I was more impressed. He is greatly talented and scopey and I think he is very special.”

Burton began competing with her local branch of The Pony Club, eventually qualifying in dressage, eventing and show jumping for The Pony Club championships. She had her first ride in an affiliated event in 2010 but, two years later, gave up riding altogether and went to University to study Sport Broadcasting and Marketing. On graduating, she went back to horses.

“I’ll bring Ulysses and Newmarket Amy, who has yet to qualify, to Scarteen next week as I think the experience of competing is good for them,” concluded Burton who said her Tullylish winner would be on the market after Dublin.

Linda Murphy is well used to competing at the RDS but was still delighted to have qualified with her own and Rita Morgan’s Shirsheen Rocketman who, on 276.6 points, recorded a narrow victory in Section B. The OBOS Quality 004 gelding was bred in Co Tipperary by Andrew Hodgins out of Mangerton Lady Saoirse, a Concorde half-sister to the Chacoa mare Princess Of Mediterranean (CSI3*).

Alyssa O’Neill qualified in second with her own and Deborah McCann’s Sligo Candy Boy gelding DS Candescent (275.6), while Richard Ames will be paying for a large number of entries as his gelding by the same sire, Belline Castle Orn Candy (269.9), qualified in third under Patrick Byrne.