Horse Sport Ireland EI 110 (P)

THERE was a second success for a stallion at the Horse Sport Ireland Eventing Ireland National Championships in Lisgarvan last weekend when Ciara O’Connor claimed the HSI El110 (P) title on the Connemara Agharanny Minstrel.

The 14-year-old Castleside JJ grey took the honours on 31.6 penalties ahead of the Caoimhe Ní Thuairisg-partnered Blackfield Flame (36.5) and the Ava Dowley-ridden Cullion Kemira (37.2) who were the only others, in the 10-strong field, to complete on their Vanda Stewart and Jillie Rogers-awarded dressage scores.

Thirteen-year-old O’Connor, who is a second year student at Gorey Community School, spent her early years playing camogie and also enjoyed athletics, but finally her family’s ties to the equestrian world saw her head down that route where she was guided by Phillippa Teggin. One of her first big victories came at the RDS where she won the lead rein class on Linksbury Goldilocks who her mother, Edwina, has just acquired again for the latest addition to the family, 11-month-old Róisín.

Agharanny Minstrel, who Edwina stands at Ashwood Stables, is owned by Ciara’s grandmother and aunt, Noreen and Sharon O’Connor, who purchased him from breeder Sean Hynes as a foal. During a varied career since, which includes covering a select few mares each season, he won the older Connemara performance hunter class under Edwina in 2017 when they were then selected for the winning Irish team.

As soon as she was old enough, at the age of 12, Ciara joined Eventing Ireland. She attended her first clinic that year in Killossery with Sam Watson who continues to train her to this day for eventing, while Michael Condon coaches her with her show jumping ponies. She was thrilled to have finished fourth on Agharanny Minstrel in the CCIP2-L at the first Kilguilkey international and, with this national title in the bag, is looking forward to her next international in 2022.

The top eight combinations in the 20-runner Eventing Ireland EI100 (P) national championship finished on the dressage scores they were awarded by Bernie Webb and Brona O’Mahony. However, the first two in the judges’ reckoning, the Jasper Kelly-ridden Coltstown Diamond (27.2) and the Erin McClernon-partnered Sundance III (28.8), dropped out of contention in the show jumping ring where McClernon was eliminated when falling.

There was very little between the principals, Katie Gibbons, a sister of European Junior team member Godfrey, topping the table on her mother Marie Dunne’s Robins Fairy Tale (29.9) with Lauren Madine finishing second with Moonshine Melody (30.2) ahead of European pony dressage team member Oscar O’Connor on Belaero (30.5).

Katie took over the ride from Godfrey this year on Robins Fairy Tale, a seven-year-old mare by the thoroughbred Robin De La Maison out of Susan Corish’s Far Away Tale. This was a second win for the new combination following that on their previous start at Kilguilkey last month.

There was an all-the-way success in the 14-runner Eventing Ireland EI90 (P) national championship for Skyla Nally and her mother Linda McGuirk’s Mayfield Boy (29.9). Also finishing on their Maire Quinlan Pluck and Jill Spring-awarded dressage scores to place second and third were Niamh Kirwan on Baylough Trigger (32.3) and Kate Corrigan with Fortane Silver Fox (33.5).

Thirteen-year-old Nally, who also swims and plays rugby, has been riding the Connemara gelding Mayfield Boy, a 10-year-old son of Castlestrange Fionn, for the past five years and this was their fifth EI90 (P) success. They also compete under Dressage Ireland rules and previously, as members of the Wicklow Branch, did Irish Pony Club eventing and represented that organisation in minimus in England.

The immediate plan is for Nally and Mayfield Boy to upgrade to EI100 (P) at Punchestown and Grove.