Margie McLoone
GILFORD’s Steven Smith and his daughter Hollie had a good day at Ballyvannon last Saturday, the former winning and placing second in the CNC*, while the younger member of the family won and finished fourth in the EI100J section.
In the novice class, Alex Houston led after dressage (29.5 penalties) with Amiro Hemmingway but lost her hold on the top spot with a fence down show jumping. They then dropped out of contention when the grey took an initial dislike to the Devil’s Dyke (17).
This left Tori Dixon in the lead with Prestige (30.8) but they picked up six time penalties across the country and had to settle for fourth as Smith got home within the time on Ballyward (31.3) and Hill Patrol (31.8), both of whom recorded double clears in the jumping phases.
Ballyward is owned by Texan MiMi Falb who, unfortunately, wasn’t present to see her horse win having returned home recently due to an injured foot. Hopefully she will be back to see the Ghareeb gelding compete in the six-year-old Irish Sport Horse Studbook class in Ballindenisk. That Co Cork championship could also be the target for Gina Johnson’s Spirit House gelding Hill Patrol.
Two other performances of note were Emma Jackson’s third-place finish on Silken Allure (34.2), who was making her novice debut, and Catherine Robinson’s completion in fifth on Neill McCluskey’s Moneybroom Lexinov (37.1), who, up until the end of last month, had been owner-ridden by Sarah Hall.
With those ahead of her after dressage having problems in jumping, Chloe Rooney completed a long range double when landing the CNCJ* class here on her mother Yvonne’s Molly May, just as she had done 12 months previously. The Clough rider finished on her flatwork mark (29.5) with the 10-year-old mare, while Anna Lyons, claiming the runners-up position, was some way adrift on Rafa (46.8).
As pony riders were competing internationally and in Pony Club events over the weekend, there weren’t many in action at Ballyvannon where judge Angeline Nicholson found it difficult to separate the five who contested the CNCP** class. She had two combinations on 37 penalties, two on 38 and one on 39.
All but Jessica McConnell erred in the show jumping phase and, in spite of 4.4 cross-country time penalties, the Ballyclare rider and the 16-year-old Connemara gelding Finding Nemo (41.4) ran out the winner from Kerry Magill and Lisnahall Miss Toffee.
That pairing had shared the lead after the first phase but lowered one of the coloured poles and also picked up four penalties for time on the final leg for a total of 45.
McConnell doubled up when landing the EI100P class on Terry Johnston’s lovely Gypsy Duke mare My Gypsy Rose whose total of 40.8 included four show jumping penalties.
One competitor who didn’t have such a good day was Katie McKee. Having picked up 12 show jumping penalties with Fair Lad, she had a second outing over the Aaron McCusker-designed track on Cregboy April Lady but had to retire for the day having hit her face off the dressage winner (27.8) during her round.
With the only show jumping clear, Noah Brown was left in the lead on Jimmy Thunderstruck who, unfortunately, decided to down tools at the Devil’s Dyke (18). That wasn’t a good idea on the pony’s part as he was being brought back to Ballyvannon on Sunday for the Go-As-You-Please!
Completing on her dressage scores, a delighted Hollie Smith won the EI100J class on the Spirit House gelding Hill Dancer (27 penalties) and finished fourth on the Grange Bouncer gelding Anvil Lodge Pinnochio (34.5) with whom she was competing under Eventing Ireland rules for the first time.
Still seeking her initial EI success, Lauren Johnston was narrowly beaten into second with That’s My Guy (27.5).
A winner at Tullymurry in the amateur division, Newtownards’ Leah Jackson landed Saturday’s open EI100 class on her dressage score with the eight-year-old Cyrano mare Gemily (24.3). Having impressed throughout the Stepping Stones league and the Dublin young event horse qualifiers, the Sarah Ennis-ridden Cooley Cosmopolitan Diamond made an impressive EI debut when second on 27.3.
The eye-catching chesnut mare Charissma, fourth in the EI100J class at the National Championships, claimed her second Lafarge Tarmac EI90 class of the season in spite of adding 0.4 of a cross-country time penalty to her dressage score of 30 under Justine Harding.
For the second time in three starts, Janie Cairns filled the runners-up spot with Brian Lowry’s home-bred Darsi thoroughbred Next Venture (33.5).
Having judged the top-graded combinations earlier in the day, Vanda Robinson assessed the six competitors in the EI90P class where her winner was Christopher Dehaene and the EI newcomer, Majas Mobility (30.3).
However, the Co Meath raiders dropped to third with the addition of 11.2 cross-country time penalties so the honours went to Dunadry’s Rocco Quinn who completed on his flat work mark of 37 with his mother Claire’s Knockagarron Fear Bui Princess.
There were a number of 23-year-old animals out on Saturday, among them Heaven Sent who, with the addition of 3.6 cross-country time penalties, finished second (41.4) under Gillian Grogan.