LOCALLY based Rosie Alcorn and Gilford’s Steven Smith had four rides apiece last Saturday at the Jamison Landrover-sponsored Finvoy (2) where, in the two classes they went head-to-head, they finished first and second, splitting the honours.
Alcorn, who shared the veterinary surgeon duties at the Co Antrim event with Mick Costello, was the first to strike, narrowly landing the 11-runner EI110 when adding two cross-country time penalties to her winning dressage score on Centre Fold Belle for a total of 29.3. Smith completed on his first-phase score with Urneypark Big Cat (29.8) while, with 1.6 show jumping time penalties, Lucca Stubington finished third on Kiltown Watson (32.4).
This was a first success at this level for the SIES-registered eight-year-old Centre Stage mare Centre Fold Belle who was bred by the sire’s owner, John Reid, out of the Renkum Lancelot mare Renkum Blathainn, a half-sister to, among others, Alcorn’s own Renkum Valentino mare Fiorella (CCI2*) and the VDL Ricochet gelding Rocco II (CCI3*).
Smith gained his revenge in the EI100 where he led from start to finish on King-Paola, who had topped Will McAuley’s judging of the dressage phase on 28.3 penalties. The Alcorn-ridden and bred Chrysanthos shared second place throughout with the Jonny Steele-partnered home-bred R Ballerina on 31 but was placed second as he finished closer to the optimum time across the country.
The six-year-old Jaguar Mail gelding Chrysanthos, who is registered with the AES, is out of Fiorella, a half-sister of the Irish Sport Horse mare R Ballerina who, being by Centre Stage, is a six-year-old full sister to Centre Fold Belle.
Susan O’Shea’s Dutch Warmblood gelding King-Paola has proven very consistent since making his Eventing Ireland debut at this level at Tyrella in mid-April. The six-year-old bay has only twice finished outside the top four in 10 starts and this third win followed two second-place finishes at Tullylish and Hazeldene where he was beaten on both occasions by his stable-mate, Lavori.
On Saturday, Smith finished fifth and sixth on Kitten Touch (32.5) and Jaguar Blues (33.3), just behind Suzanne Hagan and her Cobra gelding, Loughview Commander (31.8) who are competing in the Irish Sport Horse five-year-old National Eventing Discovery Class at Millstreet this weekend. The first 10 combinations in this 17-strong class completed on their dressage scores.
Conor Savage recorded his second EI success when, with the only double clear in the five-runner EI110 (Open), he too completed on his first phase score aboard Emily Corbett’s 14-year-old ISH gelding, Leapfrog (30.5). On their second start as a combination, Robyn McCluskey and Suirvalley Little Monkey finished second (35.3) despite lowering one of the coloured poles.
Also scoring at EI110 level were Newry’s Lucy McIroy who, on Imperial Black Pearl (35.1), comfortably beat herself on her Necarne winner, Major Black (70.9), in the two-runner Junior section, and Howth’s Symone Brown. The latter and her 11-year-old Lancelot gelding Merlot faced three rivals in the Amateur division where they added 10.4 cross-country time penalties to their winning dressage score for a total of 35.7. Jayne Moore finished second on the very consistent Laylas Way (40.8) who was having her first start in EI110 company.
In the EI100 Amateur, there was a first success since 2011 for Rachel Williams who, with her two sons, was home on holiday in Co Antrim from Cyprus. With the faster of two double clears in the seven-runner class, Williams led throughout on her father Philip Swann’s Tignabruaich (26), who she bred, comfortably seeing off Emily Morris and her veteran thoroughbred, Florida Bud (32.8), who had a fence down show jumping.
There were only two finishers in the EI100 (J) where all four starters had at least one fence down over the Aaron McCusker-designed show jumping track. The winner was Dromara’s Anna McCaldin riding her mother Caroline’s 16-year-old Cyrano gelding Rum Jumbie (32.5) who she started competing under EI rules on May 1st.
Downpatrick’s Lauren Madine recorded a comfortably victory in the two-runner EI100 (P) when completing on her dressage score with her mother Sharon’s Connemara gelding Moonshine Melody (26.3), a nine-year-old grey by I Love You Melody.
Ever improving
Speaking on behalf of his family, who hosted Saturday’s event at their Dirraw Farm, Alan Campbell said he was delighted with how the day went and, in particular, with the alteration to the start on the Adam Stevenson-designed cross-country tracks. “That worked very well. It was only a small change, but it made a significant difference. We didn’t have any new permanent fences on the course but did have some new portables.”
The Campbells held two Go-As-You-Please days over the tracks on Sunday and Monday but then closed them again as they are hosting Area 17’s home championships in eventing, for which there are 242 entries, on Bank Holiday Monday, August 30th. Always improving the facilities at the farm, the Campbells are finishing off a new fibresand gallop which will be a three-furlong oval with a three-furlong chute uphill to the yard, ending in the sand arena.