A NEW section of the cross-country course at Lusk EC was opened for the second of four qualifiers for the Bluegrass Garden Eventing Final last weekend.

With 14 fences and two water complexes to tackle, the course gave all competitors a good chance to get some early season cross-country experience under their belts.

Opening the day was the novice pony class, in which four combinations completed on a zero score.

The fastest of these was Jayne Walmsley on Gypsy Blue (33.48), with Lucy McIlroy and Boa just behind on 35.46. Third place went to Caitlin Rodgers on Timmy (41.58), with fourth place going to James Murphy on Golden Flight (45.44).

In the amateur class, nine combinations produced clears in the arena phase but only four finished on their zero score. Last to go, Neil Knox riding Tom Black’s Oscar Rua won the class with a score of 33.64, ahead of Sarah Irvine on her new horse Harry (36.95). Caitlin McMillan, also riding her new horse Havannah, finished in third (37.15). Knox also took fourth place on board Grey Goose in a time of 40.99.

In the novice horse class just three of the 11 arena clears faulted across the country, with the quickest of the eight zero scores being Alex Greer on Phoenix Spark (29.26), this combination having recently returned to their native Co Down.

Second place went to Rory Lavery and DC (30.86), with third place awarded to Colin Halliday riding Lusk Equestrian’s Factor One (31.37).

Class four was the open pony class where Alex Cleland and Dove finished on a zero score in 29.32 to take the win, marginally ahead of Robyn McCloskey, also clear on Milo, their time of 30.89.

The final class of the day was the open horse class, which attracted an entry of 25 combinations, all aiming for a crack at the £5,000 prize fund on offer at the final on April 17th.

Of the 25 starters, seven completed on a zero score, the fastest being Colin Halliday riding Vi Young’s Augusta. This pair led from the start of the class, having set a time of 27.04 which couldn’t be caught.

Cara Norman and Two Tone Ventura came very close by leaving everything intact and stopping the clock in 27.10 to take runner-up spot, ahead of Malachy Casement on Jilly (27.49).

There are two more chances to gain qualification for the Bluegrass Garden Eventing Final on March 20th and April 3rd.