GEORGE Russell made a winning seasonal debut at Glaslough (2) last Saturday and, in landing the Cloncaw Equestrian EI110 on John Wright’s DSL Tarquin, recorded his first Eventing Ireland success since May 2016.

On his only ride for the day, Russell and DSL Tarquin topped Lucinda Webb’s judging of the dressage phase on 25.5 and, despite picking up 1.2 time penalties over the undulations of the Co Monaghan cross-country course, stayed in front to win the 24-runner class.

Busy Co Down-based competitors David O’Connor and Jonny Steele completed on their first phase scores to finish second and third respectively with the very consistent six-year-old Lougherne Cappuchino mare Tullymurry Hope (27.3) and the similarly aged Ellie Eagle (29.8).

The latter, a bay mare by Winged Love, was one of three unraced thoroughbreds in the class bred by Alfred Buller, Steele placing fourth on the eight-year-old Generous gelding Red Raclette (30), who had a pole down show jumping, and sixth with the 2015 Winged Love gelding Knight’s Kingdom (30.3).

Just two combinations had any sort of a problem in jumping at this level on the Adam Stevenson-designed cross-country course although only O’Connor and Steele with their multiple rides managed to beat the clock.

Russell stepped back from the sport for much of 2019 and, like many others, had a restricted campaign last season. “I’m enjoying eventing again,” said the rider who, for the past year and a half, has rented a barn at Louise Halford’s Copper Beech Stables just outside Kildare town where the sport horse yard is run separately to that of Louise’s racehorse trainer husband, Michael.

“Tarquin is the only older horse I’m riding while the four five-year-olds I have are, like him, owned solely by John Wright and his wife Joan who are extremely supportive. I’ll probably move Tarquin up a level at Ballindenisk (next weekend). I must say, I thought Glaslough was closer than it is but I’m glad I came. They had put a good bit of work into the ground which was level and the track was nicely presented.

“When I told my father that I had won on my debut there, he actually reminded me that I had a lot of success at Glaslough in my Pony Club days when I was a member of the Meath Branch. He did the driving then!”

A nine-year-old by Puissance, DSL Tarquin was bred by John Wright in partnership with Caroline Bjoerk out of Aquila (by Quiletto) who Russell competed internationally at the old two-star level. He is a half-brother of the Jack Of Diamonds mare DSL Allegra (CCI2*-S).

Uncontested success

At EI110 level on Saturday, Co Louth’s Davina Gray recorded an uncontested success in the Open with her 11-year-old Boherdeal Clover mare Balief Clover and, following the withdrawal of her sole rival, Caoimhe Crozier, who had a comfortable lead after dressage, won the Pony class on her mother Christine’s Connemara gelding Kildromin Banjo, a 10-year-old by Glendine Kestrel.

Although she had two fences down show jumping, recording the fastest cross-country round meant that Tori Dixon, the dressage winner, landed the three-runner Amateur class on her second outing of the season with her nine-year-old gelding Mawillan.

Competitors were very complimentary about the going on the cross-country course, nature having aided co-host Johnny Bellew, who said: “We ran an All Strong bladed roller over the (mown) track yesterday afternoon but it was the heavy and consistent rain which fell for around five hours on Thursday that did the land a world of good and saved us putting tankers of water on the course.”

Prior to the start of cross-country, commentator Peter Quirke spoke in memory of the late Tiggy Hancock, recalling his first meeting with her as a competitor in a working hunter pony class at Balmoral show. He called for a minute’s silence which was well observed and it was great to see so many on site wearing yellow for Tiggy.