HANNAH Thompson, who is studying Biomedical Science with Pathology at Ulster University, dominated the EI100 (Amateur) class at Finvoy last Saturday as dedicated amateur classes resumed in the Northern Region of Eventing Ireland.

Just six of the 11 starters managed to complete, among them the Thompson-ridden pair of her own Sam Mar Riverland Imp and her mother Rachael’s Jemeela Charm who finished first and second on their respective dressage scores of 32.5 and 34 penalties.

Jayne Moore was narrowly beaten into third on Laylas Way (34.3) as 16 show jumping penalties proved the undoing of Martina McKinley’s dressage winners, Oliva Johns and Lagans Peter (31.5), who also picked up 3.2 cross-country time penalties to drop to fifth.

This was a first EI win on her fifth start, her third at this level, for Sam Mar Riverland Imp, an eight-year-old Riverland Roi mare who has 28 Show Jumping Ireland points. The bay was bred in Co Longford by Donagh McDonnell out of the Master Imp mare Grey Imp.

Aoghill-based Thompson has been competing Jameela Charm since 2017. In 2019, she partnered the now 11-year-old Loughry Lad mare to victory in the Intermediate championship of the Pony Club combined training competition at the Dublin Horse Show.

Win for Andrews

Helen Andrews made a winning Eventing Ireland debut when landing the EI90 (Amateur) on her dressage score with April Pizzazz (28.8 penalties) who she purchased as a three-year-old.

While Janie Cairns evented the 2011 skewbald mare twice in 2019 and twice previously this season, Andrews has partnered her in unaffiliated events and, very successfully, in working hunter competitions.

A fortunate Eilidh Gribben has been given the ride on Barbara Dixon’s former CIC2* performer V Zermie 51 this season and, on their second start together, they filled the runner-up slot on Saturday when adding 2.8 cross-country time penalties to their dressage score of 27.5.

Due to a tack issue, Ailsa Martin withdrew the first phase winner, Grateful For Gold (23), following show jumping, where they picked up four additional penalties, while, having jumped an incorrect fence, that phase brought an early end to their day for Nicky Nesbitt and Carrickview Saratoga who had been lying second (23.3).