HAVING had to settle for second place at Tyrella 2, Nichola Wray and Dylan AKA Springhill Showman got back to winning ways in the EI110 (Amateur) at John and Hannah Corbett’s much-appreciated seaside venue last Saturday.

The pair were only third of the four starters following Martina McKinley’s judging of the dressage phase but, in spite of one fence down show jumping and 0.8 of a time penalty, they found themselves in front as the others fared worse over the Aaron McCusker-built track.

Wray and her nine-year-old gelded son of Lislap Benedict picked up 3.2 time penalties across the country to complete on 42.3 which saw them finish well clear of the runners-up, Dean Salmon and his new mount for 2025, Kylestone Carrick Prince, whose total of 51.8 included 12 show jumping penalties.

Denis Currie has dropped his well-known Irish Sport Horse gelding Arodstown Aramis down a level this season and, on their third start in this company, he and the 20-year-old Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan bay won the 10-strong EI100 (Amateur) on their Lucinda Webb-Graham-awarded flat work mark (25.3).

Katie McKee also recorded a double clear inside the time to place second with Summit but the dressage winners on 24 penalties, Samantha Dale and Threeseas failed to beat the clock over the Adam Stevenson-designed cross-country track and dropped to third with the addition of 2.8 time penalties.

Second on her dressage score at the two earlier Tyrella events, Kaiti McCann was another to make it third time lucky this term with Boyher Cookies N Creme in the EI90 (Amateur) and that in spite of the 16-year-old skewbald mare lowering one of the coloured poles for a completion score of 27.

Three of the 15 starters were eliminated, one in the show jumping ring for two refusals at the third fence.