HATS off to longtime Iveagh Pony Club district commissioner Vanne Campbell who made sure she wouldn’t lose her signature Akubra hat when acting as one of the wind and rain-battered cross-country starters at Lightsource Tyrella (4) last Saturday.

Another with her hat (or rather helmet) securely fastened at the Co Down venue was Margaret Creighton who, as Margaret Tolerton, represented Ireland at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles on Ipi Tombi. On her first Eventing Ireland start since May 2010, Margaret finished seventh in the EI90 on her daughter Charlotte’s Ladida, a home-bred six-year-old mare by Clover Echo.

Paying his first visit to the Corbett family’s seaside estate on Saturday was Swedish international Dag Albert who braved the elements in his role as high performance team manager of the Junior squad. Dag, who was travelling down to Lisgarvan on Sunday, had spent the Easter weekend at Ballindenisk.