THE dressage and show jumping training clinics organised by Janet Murray are very popular with event riders but even Ian Fearon was taken aback last Tuesday week when multi medal-winner Michael Jung appeared before him at Deirdre Reilly’s Derryglen Stud.

Over to inspect horses suggested by Murray, the German and his guide just popped into Derryglen for a brief moment on Tuesday morning but he decided to surprise Fearon by sitting up on Jackie and Gillian Harris’s Kiltown Watson in place of regular partner, Lucca Stubington, and mission accomplished, then left on his travels.

“One of the lovely things about training at the Janet Murray clinics, you just would never know who would turn up amongst her wonderful students,” commented Fearon on his Facebook page.

Having been down to Co Meath on the Tuesday, Lucca and her mother Georgia were back on the road south on Saturday, leaving at 5am for Punchestown.

Unfortunately, a ‘vehicular mishap’ not too far from home saw them return to their Templepatrick yard at 5.30am to quickly transfer themselves, horses and all their gear into their big lorry, departing 30 minutes later for Co Kildare.

“I had hoped to walk the Intermediate track before dressage but we only got to Punchestown with 35 or 40 minutes to spare,” reported Lucca who went on to win the EI115 on Kiltown Watson.