ELLA Boyle enjoyed a perfect start to her 2019 competition year when she recorded two wins and a second-place finish from three rides at Saturday’s round two of the Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing series at The Meadows Equestrian Centre.

The Northern Region of Eventing Ireland invited David Lee up to judge the 20-strong Novice class which Boyle dominated, taking the honours on a score of 77.5% with George while placing second with Vogue (77.3). Lisburn’s Hannah Blakley finished third on 74.3 with her eight-year-old Clerkenwell gelding Clerkson who moved up to CNC1* level for the second half of last season.

Bred in Britain, George, officially known as Grafenstolz Distinction, is an eight-year-old gelding by the Trakehner stallion Grafenstolz out of Spring Distinction who is a daughter of the Rainbow Quest stallion Merit. He was campaigned in his native country by first Sophie Platt and then Noah Brook, the latter finishing eighth on the bay in the CIC1* at Burgham in late July 2017.

Imported into Ireland over the following winter and show jumped early in the year in Italy by Boyle, Grafenstolz Distinction was placed in all four of his O/CNC1* starts last spring but was retired on the cross-country course when competing in the CCI1*YH at Tattersalls. The rider is very much looking forward to his return to eventing action – as she is with the ultra-smart Vogue, aka WKD Cooley, a nine-year-old Contador mare who wastes little time over a fence.

Twenty-year-old Boyle hopes to be selected for the European Young Riders squad and has two potential mounts in Caitriona, who was left at home in Annahilt on Saturday, and the nine-year-old Holsteiner mare Candy 737, on whom she won the Intermediate class at The Meadows on a score of 72.3%. Lucy Adams, who finished second here on Ben Hyman (72.1), may be seeing more of Boyle in the future as she plans on becoming a regular competitor at pure dressage shows.

Boyle’s mounts are all owned by her mother Amanda while she is coached and mentored by Terry Boon.

Once again, the Intro class was divided with the winner in Section A, judged by Vanda Stewart, being Gwen Scott on Jim McLoughlin’s home-bred Glen Mac (71.8) who had three EI90 outings last season under Jessica Nelson. Scott partnered the Sirillio mare as a youngster, the pair qualifying for the four-year-old young event horse class at Dublin in 2016.

The only other rider to score over 70% was Nicky Nesbitt who finished second with her Irish Draught mare Carrickview Saratoga (70.3), an eight-year-old by Crosstown Dancer.

NIXON ON TARGET

Martina McKinley judged Section B and her winner was Belfast’s Jenny Nixon on Harley (69.5%) with whom she won two EI90 Amateur classes last season. Officially named Coolmount Cruise, the seven-year-old grey Cruise On Harley gelding was bred by Oinri Jackson out of a mare by Vriend.

Second place on 67.5 was shared between Troy Watson and his seven-year-old Carrick Diamond Lad mare Rory’s Glen Angie and Shane McKeever riding KHS Impact, a 14-year-old gelding by Master Imp.

Stephen Murphy, who had a busy day with over 30 Pre-Novice combinations to access, reserved his top marks for the Charlotte Dixon-owned and ridden Milo (Irish Amigo), who competed in three EI90 classes last season, winning first time out at Kircubbin (3).

Bred in Co Offaly by Joe Neville, the six-year-old bay gelding is by the UAE-bred Green Desert stallion Waveney out of An Cat Rua (by Coolcorron Cool Diamond). Dixon is studying bio medical science at Coleraine.

Second seven days previously, Joanne Jarden and the nine-year-old Rockrimmon Senator mare Quarryhill Calypso filled the same position last Saturday but this time, on 75, had to share that spot with Kathryn McKibbin on her nine-year-old grey gelding Seapatrick Murphy.

There was a high percentage of double clears in the show jumping phase, which ran from just after 9am until late evening over tracks ranging from 70cms to 1.20m, while the all-weather cross-country courses, with their huge variety of fences, continue to attract eventers, would be eventers and others who had never previously thought of eventing!