THE Eventing Ireland Northern Region campaign concluded last Saturday at Knockany which, because of Covid-19 and the weather, was just the fourth fixture to be held during this season for which 16 had been originally scheduled.

Thankfully, the sun shone down on the Lusk family’s venue which was ideal to publicise the sport as among those in attendance were the Agricultural Minister, Edwin Poots MLA, in company with Geoff Cannon, chairman of the Equine Council for Northern Ireland, and the DAERA’s chief veterinary officer, Robert Huey.

Hopefully, the Minister and his entourage were impressed not only with eventing and with the diverse uses of the land at Knockany but also with the Covid-19 protocols in place on Saturday. Regional secretary, Dora Beacom, was fulsome in her praise of the Region’s Covid Compliance Officer and all those who have been on duty, from early to late, as contract-tracing check-in stewards during the season.

“Fiona (Boal) has been exceptional as our Compliance Officer,” said Beacom. “She has checked the loos out every hour, kept an eye on the numbers in the warm-up rings and has really been on the ball since all this started. I’d also like to acknowledge the work done by our para-medic team (AESCU) who have been doing random temperature checks as people arrived at each venue.”

In addition to the list of officials, rules, fences and maps carried in the programmes for the four fixtures, and available in advance online, were brilliant photographs of each event’s riders’ representative. No one could say that they weren’t aware that Steven Smith, Anita Doherty, Jonny Steele and, finally, Clare Abbott, were the riders to contact on the day.