CIARRAÍ Rice, who was presented with four awards at the Eventing Ireland Northern Region Ball last November, won the 1m Novice class at the Two-Phase event in Tyrella on Sunday when, a second under the optimum time, she brought up a double clear on her Irish Sport Horse mare Lady J.
At the 2024 Eventing Ireland national championships at Kilguilkey House last September, Rice and her 2016 bay daughter of Hallo Picasso finished second in the EI100 (Amateur) championship and they will start this year’s campaign at the same level at Tyrella 1 next Saturday.
“We have started training at home at the higher level of 110 and are enjoying it,” revealed Rice, who had spent the previous day fence judging.
“I would like to take on an EI110 track down the line but, as I’m starting up my own business, I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself at the moment, while I focus on that. I was delighted with today’s result and the mare and I definitely enjoyed being back on those open fields!”
Co Meath’s Maeve Fleming saw off nine rivals when landing the 1m Pre-Novice class with her father Aidan’s Connemara mare Kiltiernan Kitty. Fleming and the 2017 Tulira Robuck grey are the reigning EI110 (P) champions, following their victory at the 2024 EI national championships at Kilguilkey House in September.
Stylish
Over 40 combinations contested the Senior 85/90cm class, with five of these coming home on a zero score. Of that quintet, hair stylist Una Megoran claimed the top spot, as she crossed the finish line one-hundredth of a second inside the optimum time.
Her partner was the ultra-consistent Connemara mare Rossy April, a 2012 bay daughter of Spiddal Wills Boy. “’Indie’ is a class wee horse, who never comes home without a prize. We only competed once with Eventing Ireland last year (at Tyrella 4 in early May), but I hope to do more affiliated eventing this season,” commented Megoran.
Maeve Roulston-McAuliffe landed the 13-strong Junior 85/90cm class with the Connemara gelding Clashadoo Jay, a 15-year-old Gurteen Lad bay, who she competes in many Pony Club activities as a member of the Fermanagh Branch.
There were seven double clears recorded in the 34-runner Senior 75/80cm class, where Helen Barbour came home bang on the optimum cross-country time with Sparkling Boom’s Clover (aka Rudi), an 11-year-old Appaloosa gelding by Sparkling Mr Boomtastic.
“This was our first time competing cross-country together, but hopefully the first of many, as we both loved it!” said Barbour. “We will be back at Tyrella for the Derby on Easter Monday, concentrating on enhancing Rudi’s working hunter experience, as we have qualified for our first Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan in May. I plan to compete in various disciplines and venues throughout this year to further develop his all-round ability, while having plenty of fun along the way!”
As on Saturday, the Junior 75/80cm class was won by a 12-year-old girl, in this case Ava McKay, who saw off 18 rivals to triumph on the 17-year-old grey gelding Clonalee Tomboy. Ava’s father Cormac McKay owned and bred Euro Prince, who represented Ireland at the 2016 Rio Olympics with Clare Abbott.