IN my review of the 2018 Eventing Ireland campaign, I wrote that the sport would have to adapt to climate change and this is even more obvious following the 2023 season, during which approximately 48% of the 40 events on the national calendar were cancelled on their original dates, with a small number being rescheduled.

In 2018, around 650 adult riding members and approximately 240 underage riders (Junior and Pony) were registered with EI, a total figure which was up 7% on that of the previous year. In the 2023 season, there were 485 senior members (including 175 with restricted status) and 260 riders under 18. There have been very few day tickets purchased since the inclusion of training classes (from EI80 (T) to EI100 (T) level) and, in the season just ended, these accounted for 12% of the total entries. Nearly 50% of the total entries were in the EI80 to EI100 level bracket.

Kate A Walsh and Beechtree Watchful (CP) owned by Clare Corballis won the EI100 (J) at the Eventing Ireland National Championships 2023 at Kilguilkey House \ EquusPix Photography

Weather woes

Weather-related issues were the cause of most event organisers’ woes, with the biggest challenge facing Eventing Ireland during the year being the cancellation, just three weeks ahead of their scheduled date, of the national championships at Castle Irvine, Necarne, venue of the organisation’s national event of the year for 2022. While this was a devastating blow to those in the Northern Region who had put so much time and effort into the fixture, they and all others were delighted when Danny and Michelle Dulohery stepped in to host the championships on September 9th and 10th at Kilguilkey House, which had already staged three national and two international events since mid-May.

While the Northern Region was forced to postpone their popular two-phase event by a week in early March, they had a good spring campaign with three events at Tyrella, in March and April, and one at Hazeldene in May, being followed by the customary summer break. This cessation of action may have to be reviewed, although the ‘autumn’ campaign which began at the welcome new venue of The Clare in early July, was followed, as scheduled, by Tullymurry. However, the very inclement weather then resulted in the loss of regional events, including Loughanmore, and members’ season was only saved by the Turley and O’Connor families running two more fixtures at Tullymurry before Vesey Lodge rounded off the campaign in late August.

Down south, there was a delay to the start of the spring season, which only got underway at Lisgarvan House on the second weekend of April. The first of three events at Hillcrest later that month was staged just a few days before the first international (at Ballindenisk). After that, the national season settled down with weekly events until the bad weather forced an early end to proceedings with the EI national championships in early September.

There were two highlights during the season – the inaugural running of Clonmahon House on June 10th and the first staging of the EI Grassroots championships at Lisgarvan House in late August.

The Co Meath event had been scheduled for April 17th, but was postponed due to safety concerns following heavy rain; ironically, the ground had to be watered when the fixture went ahead in June. There was widespread praise for this new, much-needed event in the North Leinster Region, which has lost so many top-class venues over the years but, unfortunately, at time of writing, Clonmahon House doesn’t appear on the 2024 calendar.

The 2023 Grassroots championships were run in tandem with the final day of the inaugural Lisgarvan House international on Sunday, August 27th, when there were seven sponsored classes, from EI80 to EI100. These championships have been scheduled as a standalone fixture next year when they will take place in July.

Gemma Esler and Remember Bea, winners of El90 National Champship at Kilguilkey \ Justin Black Millstreet Horse Photography

Busy season

The very informative EI website shows us that this year, taking Irish national and international events into account, Co Wexford’s Patrick Whelan once again partnered the highest number of runners (123) and recorded the most clear cross-country rounds (106), 46 of which were inside the time.

Whelan finished second to Steven Smith when it came to the number of wins (12-10) and to the Gilford rider on the list of those who completed on their dressage scores (32-27). He also filled the runner-up spot on the table of show jumping clears behind the Belline Equestrian-based Robbie Kearns (53-47).

Whelan runs his Murrintown yard practically on his own with girlfriend Aimée Morrissey, who works for Willie Mullins, helping him out on her weekends off, while Niamh O’Gara also pops in if she has time. While Patrick would like to attend more events abroad, that mightn’t go down too well with his father Pat, who then has to look after the horses at home – including mucking out! Whelan says he is very lucky that his owners like to be hands-on at events and will even drive horses to them if required.

“It’s not easy to go international, but I’ll keep trying ,” said the 27-year-old, who rounded off his season in late October at Kronenberg, where he finished fifth in the CCI4*-S on Seamus Carew’s home-bred Orestus gelding Altitu. “You need a lot of horses and you need a lot of the right horses who will stay sound.

“I’ve 10 horses in at the moment and, once they are fed, I ride out a couple of lots for local trainer Harley Dunne before heading back to the yard. As I mainly work on my own at home, it’s nice to get away and have a chat and a bit of craic with the lads, and I have a little bit of a share in one horse that’s yet to run. I don’t want to be a jockey so I don’t do any schooling and will probably stop riding out about Cheltenham time. I had a couple of horses in the Go For Gold Sale this year and that is something I would like to do more of in the future.”

The busy Whelan continues to play soccer for Fastnet Rovers and has training twice a week with a 5km run or a pilates or yoga session on Tuesdays and football practice on Thursdays.

Patrick Whelan with Altitu [IRL] Highest placed Irish combination in the Colliers International CCI3*L at Kilguilky (2)

Kilguilkey steps in

AS referred to elsewhere in this review, a late change of venue saw the 2023 Eventing Ireland national championships take place at Kilguilkey House over the weekend of September 9th and 10th when, although not planned, they did in fact conclude the national season.

Even before these championships were cancelled at Castle Irvine, Necarne, the wet weather, which badly impacted the campaign, resulted in changes being made to the qualification criteria for those entering the EI80 to EI110 classes, who required only one MER, obtained in the preceding six months, to compete.

During a year in which they dominated young event horse classes, EI board director Richard Ames and his Belline Equestrian stable jockey, Robbie Kearns, claimed the EI120 title with the Irish Sport Horse gelding Ballyvillane OBOS (33.5 penalties), a chesnut son of OBOS Quality 004, who also won the CCI3*-S at Ballindenisk in late April.

Second here with Denis Finch Hatton (40 penalties), Co Wexford’s Patrick Whelan also had to settle for the reserve spot in the NutriScience EI115 Open championship on the Oldenburg mare Joyce L (36.1). The winner on his dressage score was John Tilley with the Dutch Warmblood gelding Licence To Cooley (35.2). This Balou du Rouet nine-year-old runs under the banner of Kilkenny International Sport Horses, run by Tilley and fellow Welsh native Andrew Williams.

Competing for New Zealand, Amanda Goldsbury claimed the bronze medal in the CCI2*-L at Le Lion d’Angers on Cooley Farm’s Zangersheide gelding Cooley On Ice, with whom the Co Wicklow-based rider filled the same slot on 27.1 penalties in the NutriScience EI110 championship. The title went to Co Down’s Suzanne Hagan on the Dutch Warmblood mare Karolita O (23.3), a chesnut Firestone eight-year-old, owned by Anne Magee and Jane Hancock. Co Meath’s Sarah Ennis recorded her best result from four rides at the championships when second here with Deirdre Connolly’s home-bred ISH mare OnceUponATime (26.5), a seven-year-old grey by Barely A Moment.

Two older horses were crowned champion and reserve in the EI100 championship, where the top 11 on the final leaderboard completed on their dressage scores.

The tricolour sash was presented to Kate Solon and the traditionally-bred ISH gelding Oakport Ringo Star (25.5), a 13-year-old bay by All My Dreams on whom, representing Greenhills, she had won the combined RC110 and RC120 title at the Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ national eventing championships the previous weekend. Co Down’s David O’Connor finished reserve with Helen Fletcher’s ISH gelding Sir Barnabus (26.3), a 14-year-old Cyrano bay.

The EI90 championship was won by the Northern Region’s Gemma Esler riding Norma Wilkinson’s Remember Bea, a six-year-old ISH mare by Ramiro B, while the EI80 title went to Melanie Purcell, who partnered FHS High Waltzer, a five-year-old ISH gelding by Farmhill Highlander, who was traditionally-bred at their Farran House Stud in Co Limerick by the rider and her husband Ken.

Matthew Love, who combines race-riding on the track and in point-to-points with eventing, claimed the Yeomanstown Stud EI110 (J) championships with his father Micky’s ISH mare DSL Allegra, a nine-year-old bay daughter of Jack Of Diamonds. Kate Walsh, who combines competing under EI Rules with those of the Irish Pony Club, won the EI100 (J) championship with Clare Corballis’s Beechtree Watchful.

This 12-year-old Mirah’s Oyster Bandit gelding was one of many Connemaras to score on the EI circuit this season, as was Jane Barry’s Castletown Lad, a seven-year-old Templebready Fear Bui gelding, ridden to victory in the EI110 (P) championship by the owner’s daughter Elsie. The other pony championships were won by Amelia Scott with her mother Eleanor’s traditionally-bred Gelato, an 11-year-old gelding by the Connemara stallion Martan Phaidin Nhoir (EI100), and Tilley Tumilty riding her mother Lisa’s Connemara gelding Barnadown Lad (EI90), a similarly-aged Connemara gelding by Illaunurra Lad.

After a couple of placings earlier in the season, Sharon Power rounded off her 2023 campaign with victory in the EI110 Amateur championship on her Oldenburg gelding Tullibards Benny And Jess, a seven-year-old son of Tullibards Bennys Legacy. Lucy Toombs’ excellent season concluded with victory in the EI100 Amateur championship on Alison Smith’s 15-year-old ISH gelding by Creevagh Grey Rebel, Bluestone Ice, while Holly Conte partnered her own ISH mare VHC Howitzer, a seven-year-old by WRS Elvis, to victory in the EI90 Amateur championship.

Robbie Kearns with Ballyvillane OBOS, winners of the EI120 class at the Eventing Ireland National Championships 2023 at Kilguilkey House \ EquusPix Photography

National Championships

THE 2023 Eventing Ireland national championships at Kilguilkey House in early September included the final of the Horse Sport Ireland studbook series for young horses, which was dominated by Northern Region riders.

Clare Abbott initiated a double in the seven-year-old section (EI115) on Lawrence Patterson’s home-bred ISH gelding Drumnaconnell Kobie. This brown son of Road To Happiness was quietly campaigned during a seven-outing season, which saw him start with a win in the EI110 at Tyrella (3), finish fourth of 23 in the CCI3*-S at Kilguilkey House in late June and conclude when 28th of 70 in the CCI3*-L at Le Lion d’Angers in October.

The double came up in the five-year-old section (EI100) on MT Luxaan, a Cazaan mare who was bred by Abbott’s partner Gareth Carlisle. This ISH bay only started three times under EI rules, being withdrawn after dressage and show jumping at Tullymurry 3 on August 19th, and then winning at Clyda 2 in early September before heading to the championships. However, MT Luxaan also finished fourth in the HSI studbook five-year-old show jumping grand final at the Tattersalls July Show and qualified for the Dublin Horse Show – as she had done in 2022.

Steven Smith’s three rides at the championships were all placed on their dressage scores at EI110 level. He finished fifth in the NutriScience championship with Symone Brown’s Premier Lara, an ISH mare by Jackaroo, and first and second in the HSI-sponsored six-year-old class on Susan O’Shea’s Tullaher Paudie (24.6 penalties), a bay ISH gelding by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan, and Terry Johnston’s Strangford (26.9). The latter, a brown ISH gelding by Luidam, had a busy and successful season, which culminated at Le Lion d’Angers, where he and Smith were best-placed of the Irish trio when 14th in the CCI2*-L.

AIRC eventing

HISTORY was made at the 2023 Equipeople Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ national eventing championships on Sunday, September 3rd, when Earl’s Well became the first Co Cork-based club to win the team title.

This year’s championships were held at the Ballycahane Equestrian Centre in Co Limerick, where six clubs, twice as many as the previous year (but still way down on 2012 (24 squads)), contested the team competition. The concluding cross-country phase proved hugely influential as all three Earl’s Well members were clear over the fixed fences unlike their closest rivals after dressage and show jumping, Thomastown and District and Benbulben.

The winners’ total of 116.8 penalties left them well clear of Tynagh (159.7), who fielded a full four-rider team, and a Headfort trio (211.5). Representing Earl’s Well were Brian O’Dwyer, who completed on his flat work score with the 20-year-old mare CW Coco (32.8 penalties); Kate Doyle, who had a pole down show jumping with the eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Frankies Queen (41) on whom she also competed with Eventing Ireland, and Barbara Maher, whose total on her 15-year-old ISH gelding Ballygriffin Lester Man (43) included nine show jumping penalties.

There was a standout performance individually in the Young Horse championship, where Ashbrook’s John Gavin recorded a comprehensive, all-the-way victory by completing on his dressage score with his home-bred ISH gelding Holywell Contender. The 2018 bay by Contendro I won the young horse class at the 2022 AIRC dressage championships and at this year’s AIRC Festival, has 103 Dressage Ireland points (the combination landing the Novice Category 2 title DI national championships in September) and 13 Showjumping Ireland points.

What they haven’t done as yet is compete under Eventing Ireland rules (a target for 2024) and, as members no longer have to qualify for the AIRC eventing championships, their sole start in that sphere before heading to Crecora was in an unaffiliated event at Killossery Lodge Stud. Sadly, the number of regional AIRC events is far lower than in the past and, with competitors keeping an eye on travelling expenses and thus staying closer to home, even those which did run were under pressure to cover their costs.

The very active South East Region advertised a four-leg league of events but, due to the wet weather conditions this summer, the final round, set to be hosted by the Ballycanew Club at Frankfort Stud, was first postponed from July 30th to August 27th when it was cancelled. The rescheduled leg was due to be run under the express eventing format, which became popular when sport first resumed after the Covid lockdown and holds a particular appeal with the one-horse, amateur owner.

Pony club eventing

THE Irish Pony Club/Connolly’s Red Mills national eventing championships were held in late August at Tattersalls Ireland, where an entry of over 430 horses and ponies saw a large number of members, parents, siblings, and grandparents descend on the Co Meath bloodstock sales complex for the two-day event.

Unlike the Association of Irish Riding Clubs, the IPC maintains a qualification process for its championships but, in common with Eventing Ireland, organisers had to re-schedule some of these because of the wet summer. Over the August Bank Holiday weekend, qualifiers were held at Coolboy (Saturday), Kilguilkey House (Sunday) and Punchestown (Monday), which saw the IPC suspend its rule preventing members competing the same horse or pony two days in a row, but for that weekend only.

The championships were covered in detail in the September 2nd issue of The Irish Field, so here we will just list the winners of the team competitions, which added to the excitement of a brilliant weekend. These were West Waterford’s Siofra Marsh, Isobel Maxwell and Millie Bowles (Intermediate, 17 teams competed), Scarteen’s Meabh O’Brien, Ciara Lane, Nadine Lane and Jonty Purcell (Junior, 41 teams) and Kildare’s Laura Butler, India Cox, Charlotte Butler and Kate Moore (Under 12s, 33 teams).

As has been the case in recent seasons, not one team lined out at Open level with just nine individuals starting, all but one of whom also competed with Eventing Ireland this year. There were so many competitors in the other championships at Tattersalls that, hopefully, this trend will be reversed next season, and the years ahead. Preparing an Open track for so few riders makes little financial sense, the only consolation being that these championships were to follow a scheduled EI one-day at the same venue, for which all the pre-fixture work had been carried out before it was cancelled – because of the inclement weather.