DENIS Currie has won the Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing series at The Meadows Equestrian Centre for the second time in three years but, riding Arodstown Aramis, he only clinched the title by the narrowest of margins last Saturday.

Currie rounded off by winning the Novice dressage and sharing the honours in both the metre show jumping and cross-country phases. He completed the series on 75.5 points, just getting the better of Nikki Cullen and her 11-year-old Emperor Augustus mare, Danske Coevers Lass (75), with Nicola Martin finishing third on her seven-year-old Gold N Silver mare, Butter (67).

Although ending the series on the same score, 64 points, Nicky Nesbitt finished fourth on Carrickview Saratoga as she was higher placed in Saturday’s dressage than Grace Kehoe on Killeshin Fifty Shades Of Grey, while 14-year-old Anya Teuton, who competed in all eight legs of the league, was sixth on Lisrua Star (62). Prizes, which go down to 15th place, will be presented at a special Flexi Eventing competition today at The Meadows.

A partner in a building and civil engineering company, and a member of Eventing Ireland’s national dates committee, Currie has been competing Arodstown Aramis since the start of 2017. He has twice completed the now CCI2*-L at Tattersalls on the 2005 Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan gelding who was bred in Co Meath by Carole Douglas out of the Broussard mare Rosetown Echo. Whether the combination will be making a return to that international this year remains to be seen as Currie, one of the more senior amateurs on the circuit, is taking things one day at a time.

“At my time of life, I don’t make too many plans but am just thankful to God that I have health to enjoy our sport from a saddle!” said Currie. “I love the cross-country track at Loughanmore, which I’ve missed riding over this past couple of years for a variety of reasons, so I hope we’ll both keep going to enjoy that one. I have to thank Baileys for their generous sponsorship of the Flexi Eventing series. It was well-supported with a significant increase in the number of competitors. The weather was horrendous most Saturdays but the series was still very enjoyable and competitive.”

In Saturday’s 22-runner Novice dressage, which was judged by David Lee as was the Intermediate, Currie won on a score of 77.5% with Arodstown Aramis ahead of Ella Boyle on WKD Cooley (75.5). The latter gained compensation when, for the second week running, she topped the scores in the six-starter Intermediate with her mother Amanda’s 12-year-old Captain Fire mare, Candy 737 (73.2), who is returning from injury. Series regular, Helen Faulkner finished second here with Ann Cunningham’s Derrivane Danny (67.1).

Win for Sproule

Twenty combinations came before Lucinda Webb-Graham in the Pre-Novice class where her winner was Sarah Sproule on her six-year-old Butlers Cravat gelding Ballyneety Rainbow (73.5%) with, for the sixth time in the series, Margaret Creighton placing second on Ladida (73.3). As she often has other commitments at weekends (see View From Above column on page 22), Sproule was taking part in this year’s Flexi Eventing series for just the third time on Saturday.

As usual, the Intro class was divided. Angelina Nicholson, who judged Section A, awarded her top marks to Anya Teuton riding her mother Victoria’s 10-year-old Coral’s Misty Bobby mare, Lisrua Star (65.5%). The pair went on to record a double clear in the show jumping arena and their eighth cross-country clear of the series. Second place, on 64.3, was divided between Ella McAllister (Susie) and Lauren Madine (Moonshine Melody).

Coreen Abernethy assessed those in Section B where her winner on 72.8% was Holly McClenaghan on Homegrown Beatrix. This was a second success in the series for McClenaghan and the five-year-old Obelix mare who was bred in Co Down by Victoria Moffett out of Queens Gate (by Amiro M). Lara McRobb finished second on Cheska (72.5).

Despite the miserable weather in recent weeks, riders were more than keen to support the 2020 Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing series as over 700 combinations competed, 800 dressage tests were judged, 1,900 rounds of show jumping were completed and over 550 rounds of cross-country started. There was also an army of volunteers who turned up when asked to ensure the smooth running of the series and many of these will be found in various venues throughout the Northern Region once the eventing season gets under way.

To ease competitors, officials and volunteers back into the fray, the annual two-phase competition takes place at Tyrella next Saturday, March 14th.