Margie McLoone

THE Smith brothers had a good day at Kircubbin last Saturday, Steven winning three classes and Trevor marking his competitive return to the saddle following injury with a third place finish from two rides.

Although the sky threatened more deluges on occasion, there were just two heavy showers during the early afternoon and everything ran like clockwork. The dressage arenas were lifted well in time for the scheduled 1pm start to the cross-country.

The O’Flynn family are always welcoming, with course designer Eamon, wife Karen and daughter Hollie on hand to help people throughout the day. Son Ryan keeps a low profile until he can attend to his cows at the end of the action, the dairy side of the farm growing every year.

The cows and calves were going to be indoors on Sunday too as Capall Riding Club was holding a go-as-you-please ride at the venue. The calves were a big hit with the many small children at the event and probably got more attention than Jessie the donkey, who too can usually be found wandering wherever she wants to go.

The commentary team of Peter Quirke and Tina Sterling-Berry made references during the day to the brilliant performance of Susie Berry in the junior European championships and to the many Area 17 members who had done so well at The Pony Club championships.

There were few changes made to the cross-country course but any fresh logs added came from the trees felled to make room for Hollie O’Fynn’s new house.

Steven Smith’s first success of the day came in the Lightsource Renewable Energy CNC* where he added two cross-country time penalties to his dressage score of 23.5 with My Ballymac Bay. It’s surprising to see this eight-year-old Touchdown gelding still running in Smith’s own name as he has done little wrong since being repatriated.

Richard Irwin was slightly slower (2.4) across the country for a completion score of 28.4 with Timpany Flight Hero while Colin Holliday was the only rider to get home within the time to finish third on his dressage score of 29 with the well-named Swift Edition.

Kathryn Graham lost hold of the lead she established in the first phase (21.5) when Ladakhas Guy had a fence down show jumping and dropped further back with 14 cross-country penalties.

Three horses in this class had to be re-presented at fence 15, a roller before a water splash, while Emma Jackson was unseated when Cushlas Skyimp slipped badly going into fence 22, an up-bank.

Smith doubled up in the two-runner open novice where his total of 35.3 with the Diane Harron Eakin-owned and bred Iroko gelding Ringfort Rubicon included 2.8 cross-country time penalties.

The third success of the day for the Gilford rider came in Section A of the pre-novice with John McKay’s Prestige who completed on his impressive dressage score of 19. This Condios gelding caught the eye when making his debut at Vesey Lodge but was withdrawn before the cross-country phase that day because of the very wet ground conditions.

The tall, dark bay six-year-old was bred by Stephanie Heffernan and is a full-brother to Robo Paddy who was produced here by Smith up to international three-star level. Sold to the United States where he was renamed William Penn, he competed at a similar level under Phillip Dutton.

Clare Steele was delighted with her second place finish on the homebred Cyrano gelding R.Junior, who finished on his dressage score of 29, while Trevor Smith picked up six cross-country time penalties to slot into third (31) with the smart Ryelands Sea Master gelding Dream Master.

“I don’t know where I’ll go next with My Ballymac Bay,” said Steven Smith, “but he has been very consistent and I’ll up him now to intermediate. The two six-year-olds will be entered in the Irish Sport Horse class at Tattersalls next weekend.”