LAST Saturday, the O’Flynn family welcomed the Northern Region of Eventing Ireland to their Kircubbin venue for the second time this season.
Some classes were poorly supported but not so the CNC1* where 26 of the 30 entries started and the optimum time ruling had to be employed after Matthew Johnston and Trevor Smith both completed on their dressage score of 31.8.
The leaders after the first phase, Andrew Turley and Colenomer (26) had a fence down show jumping and a rare problem across the country which dropped them right out of contention. Lying second following the flat work phase on 28.3, Adam Haugh and Van Thee Man picked up a single time fault show jumping and retired on the final leg.
Third and fourth after dressage, Jonny Mulligan on Randalstown Commando (30) and Suzanne Hagan on OBOS Take One (30.3) lowered two coloured poles apiece and had time faults on both jumping phases while, having picked up four show jumping penalties, Catherine Robinson withdrew Carsonstown Alice who had been on 31 after the first phase.
Johnston and Smith were rewarded for continuing with the former, who was closer to the optimum time over the fixed fences, taking the honours on the seven-year-old Jupiter du Thot gelding Bluestone Jupiter. The good-looking bay gelding was bred in Co Armagh by Cliff McDowell out of the Boiar Des Isles mare Danske.
Trevor Smith finished second on brother Steven’s six-year-old Womanizer gelding Luxey, who was making his novice debut, while the bay’s owner slotted into third, on his dressage score, with Caryn Walker’s home-bred Lougherne Cashell gelding Newferry Jagermeister.
CONVINCING WIN
Steven Smith recorded an all-the-way success in the O/CNC1* with Terry Johnston’s 10-year-old Porsch gelding Hi Happy Harry (20 penalties), Robyn McCluskey did likewise in the CNCJ1* on her mother Denise’s 13-year-old Cyrano gelding Rum Jumbie (18.8) and Katie McKee also repeated the feat with Fair Lad (23) in the CNCP2* class. Ellie Parkhill’s similar achievement with Alland Mac U No (29.3) wasn’t just as notable as their victory in the EI100P was uncontested.
Second after dressage, Hannah Morrow and the eight-year-old Yeats mare My Good Thyne Girl were left in front to win the EI100J on their flat work mark (30.5) when the early leaders, Tola Thompson and Crackerjack VIII, picked up 20 jumping penalties across the country.
There were 25 starters in the EI100, where following a couple of disappointing outings at novice level, Leah Jackson and her 10-year-old Cyrano mare Gemilly had a confidence-building win on their dressage score (26.3). Neil Wynn, one of the few southern riders at the event, finished a close second on the six-year-old Clover Brigade gelding Ardeo Brigadier (26.5).
Four show jumping penalties proved costly for Kathryn McKibbin and Seapatrick Murphy who shared the lead with the winners after dressage but dropped to seventh on a total of 30.3.
Leah Knight recorded her first success of the year when leading from start to finish in the EI90 on the 11-year-old bay gelding Aghagallon (20) who only got as far as fence two the previous week at Vesey Lodge and had been withdrawn after show jumping on his only other outing at a very wet Tullylish.
Anna Corinne White and the 12-year-old grey gelding Jimmy Thunderstruck scored for the second time this season when claiming the EI90P class on their winning dressage score (20).