THE Glendenning family had to go above and beyond the call of duty last Saturday when welcoming the Northern Region of Eventing Ireland to Ballyvannon for their annual one-day event.

Recently married to Paul Glendenning, Sarah McNally didn’t see much of her husband in the morning as nearly every vehicle had to be towed into the parking area and the going on the cross-country course likewise had a major effect.

“The ground was tacky and it was this, more than the fences, which caused problems,” said Steven Smith who won three classes at the Co Antrim venue. “The Glendennings, as usual, had produced great tracks, taking in some new ground, and had built well-presented fences with great variety including a couple of starey ditches. However, they could do nothing about the weather.

“We riders are just getting used to repeat visits to venues, many of them which are flat, and get to know how to ride these tracks,” continued the in-form Gilford competitor whose record for the month currently reads nine wins from 12 rides. “Here, things were more challenging and it took more horsemanship to get around. There were some very tired horses at the end, especially in the pre-novice class.”

Two of Smith’s dozen wins have come on Diane Harron Eakin’s Izzietop who followed up her EI110 success at Vesey Lodge at the beginning of the month with another here where, again, she carried the No 1 bib. Displaying her jumping skills, the six-year-old I’m Special de Muze mare picked up 5.6 cross-country time penalties for a total of 33.9.

David O’Connor, on another mare, Dancing Queen, beat the clock on the final leg but had a pole down show jumping to finish second (40), while Jonny Mulligan completed on his disappointing dressage score to place third with Tynan Forever (44.5). Mulligan’s yard is down a horse following the recent sale, through Richard Sheane, of Randalstown Commando. The seven-year-old Ricardo Z gelding will in future be ridden by Italian Chiara Conze who is based in England with Irish international, Austin O’Connor.

According to Smith, there has been interest too in Izzietop who, if not sold, will probably head to Ballindenisk as will the 10-year-old Vechta gelding Shannador on whom the rider finished alone in the three-runner EI110 (Open).

Not everything went to plan for Smith as, in the EI110, he was unseated when Handsome Starr tripped coming out of the water (fence 16). “He just misread the step-up,” explained the rider. “I very nearly hung on but gravity eventually took over and off I came.”

While Ann Bowe and husband Paul would have been bitterly disappointed with the Irish rugby team’s performance against England at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon, they, at least, had the compensation of their recent purchase, Hi Mr Henry, landing the 34-runner EI100 to bring up the Smith treble.

The six-year-old Cruising Harry gelding completed on his winning dressage score (26.8) which left him one point clear of his stable-companion, the year-younger Ringfort Cruise gelding Mike Of Mourne who was ridden by Trevor Smith. On her first Eventing Ireland start for two years, Rachel Ferres completed on her dressage score with Elturano (32.5).

The 2019 season in the Northern Region concludes next Saturday at Lusk’s Equestrian Centre in Knockany.