THE Turley family hosted the latest round of the Top Spec Amateur Eventing league at Tullymurry, with competitors taking on a well-presented David O’Connor designed course.

Four combinations lined out in the Top Spec CNC*A, with Lucinda Blakiston-Houston scoring a win with Beltrim Full Moon on a final score of 54.3. Vicky Dobbin and Killaughey Belle, who were competing in their first one-star event, led the class into the cross-country but dropped to third when collecting time penalties on course. Anne Bowe with Festy Breeze climbed from fourth to second place after cross-country, with Nicola Wright finishing fourth with Monmurry Soverign.

Hannah Whittle and Mullybrannon Masterpiece currently top the league standings

Paddy O’Rourke and Old Flames score of 40.0 was enough for them to take a win in the Top Spec EI 100A. Jaemi Cochrane had led after dressage on 25.3 but an uncharacteristic cross-country fault left her out of contention. Bianca McElnea and Rosso Tramonto finished as runner-up, with third place going to Kat Butler and The Spin Doctor. Lynne Ireland and her lovely grey Blackwood Quantum Rebel also finished in the top six, a popular result for a horse who just a year ago was fighting for his life in a veterinary hospital.

Victoria Mills riding Acton Major led from start to finish to win the Top Spec EI 90A where 12 competitors went to post. Mills added just four show jumping penalties to her dressage score of of 29.8, with Niamh Foley (Railway Bar) in second, just ahead of newly married Ruth Wilson and Home Alone City who finished third.

MARGUERITE LODGE

Sandra Phipps and Glenmore Bilbo led from the start to win the Top Spec CNC*A at Marguerite Lodge on a score of 48.7. The show jumping and cross-country courses took their toll on all competitors with no combination finishing on their dressage score.

Clair O’Neill and the mare Shebeen had held the lead after dressage in the Top Spec EI 100A on a score of 32.8, but one pole on the floor in the show jumping element dropped them to third spot at the finish. This opened the door for John Prenderville and Emporor Ryan to take a win in their first season competing with Eventing Ireland, jumping clear in show jumping and cross-country. Breathing down his neck just 0.5 penalties behind in second was Caroline O’Leary and Balcarrig. Time across the country proved tight, with five of the 18 competitors incurring jumping penalties and two riders were eliminationed. Caroline O’Leary and Balcarrig hold the league lead at present.

Twenty combinations lined out in the Top Spec EI 90A, with dressage judge Derval Diamond awarding high marks to Liz Gallagher Masuren Oreo scored 17 and Vivienne Murtagh with Ark Houdini who scored 17.3. The jumping phases proved influential with seven eliminations and only nine clear across the country. Liz Gallagher dropped to fourth with 20 cross-country penalties, before Vivienne Murtagh jumped double clear adding just 1.6 time penalties to finish as clear winner on a score of 18.9. Second place went to Kate Keenan and Ballinteskin June on a score of 33.0, with Tanya Doyle and Alffie in third place on 35.3 penalties. Katrina Clarke and Ballyshiel Bryan Boru are the current league leaders in this section.

Fort Arthur will host the next round of the series, after which just four dates will remain before the final at Scarvagh on September 26th.