RATHMOLYON’s Caroline Lynch led from start to finish with DS Bouncer 007 to claim the Derryronane Stud five-year-old class when the Western Region of Eventing Ireland staged the second qualifying round in its Bert’s Properties starter series at Tubberbride Stables last Sunday.

The class is sponsored by Liam Lynskey and Matt Gordon and it was the former who sold Lynch her winning Irish Sport Horse gelding, a grey by the deceased Moylough Bouncer, last June. He was bred in Co Tipperary by Aisling O’Brien out of the Castlecomer Queen mare Duharra Silver Rose.

Lynch and DS Bouncer 007 completed on their Philip Scott-awarded dressage score (57.5 points), followed by Donnacha Anhold on Rushfield Ballingowan (54.5), an ISH gelding by Hype, and Emily Hall riding Lockside Celtic Queen (50), an ISH mare by Celtic Hero BZ. Hannah Gordon, daughter of joint-sponsor Matt, was on 50.5 after dressage with DS Hashtag 32 but lowered two fences on the Richard Kerins-designed track. Judge Noleen Kerins had to eliminate one of the nine starters.

Moving on up

The second half of 2023 was a busy period for DS Bouncer 007, who was big and raw at that stage, but still competed successfully under Dressage Ireland rules (the combination were fifth in their Preliminary championship at Mullingar) and in both the dressage and eventing autumn development series.

Lynch is going to finish out this series with the grey and then contest the five-year-old Stepping Stones series at Wexford Equestrian and, having qualified, two of the working hunter finals at the Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan. “He’s loving what he’s doing, but I will then give him a break,” said the owner/rider. “I’m not sure as yet if I will do the Young Event Horse Series with him, as I want to go eventing with him later in the year as that’s probably where his future lies.

“However, my dressage coach, Mark Ruddock, thinks he could make a pure dressage horse while, with my background in show jumping (she’s a Condon from Co Waterford), I think he could make a pure show jumper. We have plenty of options!”

The above-mentioned Matt Gordon won the four-runner Drumhowan Stud and Coolballyshan Stud six and seven-year-old qualifier when recording one of two clear rounds on the show jumping stallion DS Shotgun (56.5 points). Caroline Devine placed second on her traditionally-bred ISH Captain Devine (51), a Clonaslee Captain Cristo bay who lowered a pole.

An ISH bay owned and bred at his Derryronane Stud by Liam Lynskey, DS Shotgun is by Comthago VDL out of the VDL Harley mare Celrite M who, in turn, is out of a Ramiro Z half-sister to VDL Orestus (Olympic Games and sire).