THE first of five qualifiers in this year’s Horse Sport Ireland autumn development series was staged last Sunday at the North Munster Region venue of the Tipperary Equestrian Centre, Thurles.

Derval Diamond judged two of the three age classes and awarded a massive 84.83% to the Sean Burgess-ridden DHI Kikkis in the six-strong six-year-old qualifier (Elementary BD43). This saw the Dutch Warmblood mare, a daughter of Netto, finish over 10 points clear of her nearest rival, the Emily Kate Robinson-partnered Kekepania (74.66). However, as these horses do not hold Irish studbook passports, they were competing hors concours in this class.

The pair also finished first and second in the Bernie Webb-judged Elementary qualifier but here the gap between them was far less with Burgess and DHI Kikkis scoring 72.41 while Robinson achieved 69.31 on Kekepania, a home-bred Dutch Warmblood mare by Lingh.

There was a clear-cut winner also in the three-runner five-year-old qualifier (Novice BD38) where Diamond awarded her top score of 79.52 to the ISH gelding Holywell Spark who was bred in Co Tipperary by Jacinta O’Donoghue out of the Contador mare Oneforthenotebook. The bay son of Cobra was partnered by his owner, John Gavin, who missed most of the season through injury and only returned to the saddle two weeks ago.

In the Dermot Cannon-judged Novice qualifier, which used the same test, Gavin and Holywell Spark were narrowly beaten into second (70) by Owen Smyth and his 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding Dark Site (70.97), a son of Don Frederico.

Cannon also judged the four-runner four-year-old qualifier which was won by Lindsay Newitt and the Donal Goland-bred Ballinglen Dream (68.40). The bay ISH gelding carries 85.2% thoroughbred blood being by Financial Reward out of a Clovers Return mare.

Kilkenny’s Nicki Russell dominated the Cannon-judged Preliminary qualifier, topping the leaderboard on 69.80 with her ISH gelding Rafftery, a Robin de la Maison seven-year-old who was bred in Co Waterford by Laura Barron out of her Grange Bouncer mare Ask The Expert. Putting icing on the cake, Russell also finished second (69.20) with her well-known ex-racehorse Sizing Australia who continues to defy his 17 years and his lengthy track career.

Bernie Webb judged two other classes on Sunday. Her winner of the Medium qualifier was the dun ISH gelding Sandyhill Ceol (65.44) on whom owner/rider Edie Murray Hayden finished fifth in the CCI3*-S at Kilguilkey House International (1) in June. By the Connemara stallion Galloon Ceol, the eight-year-old was bred in Co Antrim by George Ramage out of the thoroughbred mare Dunluce Girl (by King Luthier).

Comfortably topping Webb’s scores in the Advanced class was Tara Oliver with her seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Senators Rhonaldo (67.14).

In addition to three warm-up classes, Vida Tansey judged five competitions. In the Advanced Medium qualifier her winner was Rosemary Gaffney with the Hanoverian mare Chantal 2 (65%), a 12-year-old daughter of Christ.

Dressage Ireland chair Marguerite Kavanagh claimed the Prix St George with her 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Fidette (64.56) but, in the Intermediaire I, they could only finish second (61.32) to Louise Doheny and her Dutch Warmblood gelding Angel D (65.88), a 16-year-old by Sunny Boy.

Tansey’s winner of the Intermediaire II was Co Limerick-based Tara Oliver and her black Hanoverian gelding Furst Romance (64.41), a 10-year-old by Furst Romancier, while she awarded a score of 65.54 to Sophia Doheny who, with the British-bred Newoak Gold Rush, a 15-year-old dun gelding by Ardenhall Missoni, was the only competitor to come before her in the FEI pony rider individual test.

The second leg of the series takes place today at Portmore Equestrian Centre, Craigavon. To qualify for the final at Greenogue on Sunday, December 12th, combinations must compete at two qualifiers and must finish in the first four at their qualifying level at least once.