CLARE Abbott is making up for time lost through injury as having travelled over to Burghley for the young event horse finals with MT Kenobis Touch (see page 92) the Northern Region rider competed at Clyda last Sunday when, from four mounts at EI100 level, she won Section A on MT Luxaan.

Abbott completed on her winning dressage score (22.3 penalties) with this Irish Sport Horse mare by Cazann who was bred by the rider’s partner, Gareth Carlisle, out of Lux So Easy (by Lux Z). A half-sister to MT Kenobis Touch, is highly-regarded by her connections.

“MT Luxann show jumped in the RDS as a four and five-year-old,” commented Abbott. “She did two young event horse development classes as a four-year old, winning them both, and went brilliantly in the HSI show jumping final for five-year-olds at Tattersalls in July, finishing fourth.

“Her first start eventing was at Tullymurry (3) where she only did the dressage; Clyda was her first proper run. She is an amazingly talented horse with so much potential in both disciplines – what a nice dilemma to have! We wanted her to get a few 100s under her belt this year and then if we decide to go down the eventing route we can kick on next season.”

MT Luxaan is one of four horses Abbott is competing at this weekend’s Eventing Ireland national championships.

Eagle swoops to win

Andrew Williams and John Tilley of Kilkenny International Sporthorses would probably have visited Burghley last weekend if they hadn’t targeted Clyda with four horses. The three who competed at EI100 level all performed well, headed by the ISH gelding Derroon Eagle who recorded an all-the-way victory in Section B when completing on his Paula Geiger-awarded dressage score (26.5 penalties) under Tilley.

With three runs in British Eventing-affiliated classes last season, the Imperial Hights six-year-old was having his third start in this country last Sunday. The bay, who finished second on his debut at Kilguilkey House (3), was bred in Co Sligo by Anne Maguire out of the Taldi mare Rathdooney. Derroon Eagle is one of four mounts for Tilley at Kilguilkey House this weekend.