GILLIAN Beale King was delighted more than most that the third leg of the Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing series at The Meadows went ahead last Saturday, following the successful return to action of Tullibards Evita.

The start of proceedings was delayed again by an hour, as the McCusker family and their hard-working team grappled with the effects of Storm Éowyn, the aftermath of which prevented some of those who had entered making it to the Lurgan venue on what was a bitterly cold day.

Twenty-five combinations still managed to start in the Pre Novice, before Coreen Abernethy awarded Beale King and Tullibards Evita her top score of 75%, with Molly O’Connor placing second on Grace (74.3), a six-year-old mare by King Of Mourne, who was only backed last September.

As her name would suggest, the Irish Sport Horse mare Tullibards Evita, a palomino daughter of Tullibards Bennys Legacy, was bred by Hans Kuehnle out of the dun pony mare Annaghmore Mystique. Beale King began eventing the now nine-year-old at EI100 level in April 2022 and they recorded one win on their final outing that season in Punchestown.

On their second start of 2023, their first at EI110 level, they saw off 38 rivals to win at Grove and were also placed three times. Disappointingly, they had just the one outing in 2024.

“The mare had just jumped double clear in her first SJI 1.30m class and had jumped clear around her first Intermediate cross-country track at Tyrella back in April last year when, out hacking the following week, she tripped on the lane at a walk and badly tore her knees,” revealed the Co Down-based US international rider.

Rehab

“I really took my time rehabbing ‘Mino’ – far longer than even the US and Irish vets recommended – and I have done everything possible and available to us in her rehab to bring her back to her full and best self.

"Her knees have healed well, but we are still vigilant in their care. Only time will tell, but I am very hopeful she will run a 3* this season, and she will continue show jumping. The dressage has always been her weakest phase and is still a work in progress, so I am planning on continued extra practice in that area.

“It was really special having Mino back in action last Saturday. She is a very fun and very quirky little horse, always bringing a smile to my face. Her stable name has morphed from Evita to Mino (which she gets from her colour). I rarely hear anyone around the stable refer to her as Evita any more, which is amusing. Given her Barbie horse colour, she is donned in pink at home from her feed buckets, stall guard and brushes, to her tendon boots, coolers and saddle pads. It’s a pretty cute sight, especially given that she is so petite in stature and full of sass.”

It has been a mixed start to the year for Beale King, whose paternal grandfather, the legendary US horseman Hunter L. King, died on New Year’s Day; among other achievements, he built the first indoor equine swimming pool on the east coast of America when training racehorses. Saturday’s win for the most experienced horse in her string was therefore a welcome boost for the rider.

“I have a lovely stable full of promising four to seven-year-olds, that I am producing slowly for the future, and a couple of horses in America,” continued Beale King. “I’m looking forward to getting the horses here out and about eventing and show jumping. Unfortunately, I’ll miss the first Tyrella (March 22nd), as it is my grandfather, Jeremy Beale’s birthday and I will be at the party in Florida to celebrate that! The Major, as he is referred to, won Burghley in 1965, and is my greatest mentor and inspiration. We message nearly every day and I wouldn’t miss making a toast to him at his big party for the world.

“The plan is to kick off the season at Tyrella 2 (April 5th), after doing the two-phase there a couple weeks earlier (March 8th and 9th). It will be a nice start to the season for the horses.”