SCARVAGH proved a fitting event to end the northern region 2015 season as the Buller familly pulled out all the stops with all the course fences dressed to perfection while Finn O’Sullivan, representing league sponsor Top Spec, was on hand for the prize-giving.
In bright sunny weather, Florence Campbell finished the season on a high taking home the spoils in the Top Spec CNC* on Anvil Diamond (48.2), one penalty ahead of Reece Hogg (Cyrano Hilltop) and Denis Currie (Bering Strait) (49.7) in third.
Some 24 entries made the Top Spec EI 100 highly competitive with Lynne Spence posting a personal best dressage score of 18.3 but the bold cross-country track continued to change the placings. Lynne Ireland kept her head and brought her lovely grey Blackwood Quantum Rebel home on a clean sheet to claim the red rosette. With no less than 30 entries in the Top Spec EI 90, what a competition this turned out to be! Ellen Graham led on her first ride Karma but a cross-country blip proved expensive, allowing Ballyvannon winner Stephen Martin (Butterscotch Major) to gallop to victory.
A big thank you to Vina Buller and her team for a fabulous event but a special tribute must go to northern region secretary Dora Beacom who ensures events run smoothly every weekend, not to mention all the scorers, stewards, commentators, fence judges, landowners and everyone who give their time week in and week out. Meanwhile, it’s business as usual in the southern counties until mid-October.
Glandoran was a happy hunting ground for Pauline Faloon and her coloured gelding Carlingford Sebastian in the EI 100. Posting a dressage score of 24.8, a distance ahead of second, Eathan Leonard on Whats Not To Like (35). Pauline had the luxury of adding 6.8 time penalties but still claimed the win!
NOSED IN FRONT
Meadhbh Schaible and Mirah’s Skylark had the optimum time in their favour when nosing in front of Susan Corish (Killnick Splash) to land the EI 90, as both completed on their dressage scores of 31.5.
Grove in Fethard welcomed healthy entries in the EI 100 and the EI 90. Kiltinan Castle Stud sponsored the EI 100 where first prize went to former Grove winner Hannah Watson and Kings Fionn (28.3), ahead of Boolagh Gold Leaf and James Green in second. Dressage leader John Joe Grace (Push The Button) had to settle for third when collecting four penalties show-jumping. Sixth-placed Caroline O’Leary (Balcarrig) and Zoe Kavanagh (Castlekirk) were delighted with their presentation of the Top Spec Amateur Eventing EI 100 league awards. Zoe Kavanagh was the winner, narrowly beating close friend Caroline into second place.
Sharon Power had a spectacular day, landing the EI 90 from start to finish with a new ride SRS Mini Vendi, ahead of Cara Swanston on Come What May. Sharon had earlier ridden Stonehavens Master Class in her first two-star competition jumping clear cross-country, adding a few time penalties and four show-jumping to complete in eighth. Jumping and time penalties were influential in the CNC* won by Melian Griffith and Knockadoon SF Adventure, ahead of dressage leader Sandra Kelly and Young Grandpa.
The penultimate northern region event of the 2015 season took place at Knockany, the home of Harold and Jenny Lusk, where 40 combinations tackled the cross-country course.
It was great to see Joy Lindsay’s lovely black gelding Lassban Au Revoir (Revo) owning the CNC* amateur section from start to finish on a fabulous score of 27.7, nearly 10 points clear of second-placed Caroline McQuillan and Foxtail Orchid (35.8).
Entries were a little down in the EI100 amateur section but not so the quality of competition, with many combinations finishing on their dressage scores.
Vicky Dobbin’s Villa Imp made a welcome return to EI competition to finish on a 23.5 score from Sarah Moore and Shameless.
Texan ‘newbie’ Mimi Falb took third on Kilpipe Jewel.
The EI90 was the closest fought class of the day with barely a point dividing the first five combinations but it was Ellen Graham and Kharma who came out on top posting a score of 26.7 from the evergreen Mixed Up and Judith McCarthy (27.2).
On 27.5 was third-placed Rachel Suffern on Miss Cole whilst Cara Swanston riding Come What May had to settle for fourth on the same score. Fifth was Lynsey Robb (Glenvine Creg Ny Baa) 28.5.
John and Collette Hughes welcomed around 275 combinations to their popular Kilkenny home of Kilmanahan, with amateurs numbering 45 of those.
Sharon Power and Stonehavens Master Class scored a runaway win in the three-runner CNC*, finishing with a clean sheet on 33.3 ahead of Sandra Phipps (Glenmore Bilbo) in second and Melian Griffith (Knockadoon SF Adventure) in third.
Twenty-six started the EI100. Sarah Micklem and Bazinga led the dressage phase on 22.3 but lost out when incurring jumping faults.
Georgina Magnier and Really Rich won their first red rosette when completing on a dressage score of 26.3.
Optimum time decided the runner-up position went to Hannah Phillips (Wonderful Every Day) and third to Erin Tuohy (Kalahari Dancer) who both completed on their dressage scores of 28.3.
On a roll and completing another double clear was Tommy Atkins and Graigue Prince in fourth (29.5).
Fidelma Curran (Ballyadam Philip) went one place better than their second at Ballinamona by taking top spot in the EI90.
Jumping clear to finish on a dressage score of 30.5, they took advantage of the jumping faults incurred by dressage leader Jean Tuohy and Mix Up.
Alison Bennett (Millicent Be Golden) took second on 31.5, Judith Long third on Pondhill Lad (35.3) and Kedrah Castle’s Jean Meagher on her new partner Parkroe Golden Carrabawn in fourth on 36.