MORE than 100 athletes, parents, support teams and volunteers attended last Saturday’s Eventing Ireland Munster Region ball and awards night in the Talbot Hotel, Waterford, sitting down for dinner at 7.30pm.
All were welcomed by regional chairperson Mel Purcell who, delighted to see the evening so well supported, stressed “how important it was for members to celebrate our wonderful athletes and their achievements for 2024. I would also like to set the record straight regarding the lingering question of the dates’ calendar. I can assure everyone that all parties are working positively together to get the calendar up and running.”
Following an auction with fabulous prizes, including a training clinic for four people with Mike and Trish Ryan, the awards ceremony took place and it was great to see senior winners, such as Robbie Kearns, Sian Coleman and Daniel Alderson in attendance.
Alongside a number of other awards, Kearns, the most successful senior rider at internationals throughout 2024 – both at home and overseas – took the regional prize for most wins on horses last year, while Beth Coveney claimed the equivalent award among pony competitors.
Recognised for their victories at the inaugural EI grassroots championships at Ballindenisk last July were Jonty Purcell, who won the EI100 (P) title with his mother Melanie’s 2018 Irish Sport Horse mare FHS Felicity, a dun daughter of Acambaro, and Emma Ryan. The latter landed the EI90 grassroots championship on another dun, the 2019 gelding Clonfin Sidneigh.
Underage riders acclaimed for their international achievements in 2024 were Molly Egan (the most successful pony rider at internationals), Maria Fouhy (the most successful Junior rider at overseas internationals), Gearoid Bolger (the most successful Junior rider at home internationals) and Momo Sheehy (the most successful Young Rider at both home and overseas internationals).
Sophie Swain and Zara McCarthy with Mel Purcell the Muster Eventing Ball held at Talbot Hotel Clonmel on the 8th March 2025 \ Justin Black Horse Sport Images
International success
Proud mother Liz O’Connor collected son Austin’s award for his performance at the Paris Olympics on Kate Jarvey’s 2009 home-bred Jaguar Mail gelding Colorado Blue, while the region was represented at the European pony championships in Westerstede, Germany by Sophie Swain riding the 2011 ISH mare Here Comes Trouble (by Gwennic de Goariva) and Zara McCarthy with the 2016 ISH gelding Romans Special Envoy (by Sligo Candy Boy).
On board the Dutch Warmblood gelding Romans Mr Kane, a 2015 bay by Etoulon VDL, McCarthy’s sister Keelin was a member of the Irish squad, which competed at the European Young Rider championships in Strzegom, Poland where the aforementioned Gearoid Bolger was on the Junior squad with the ISH gelding Into Mischief, a 2014 bay son of 0BOS Quality 004.
The regional award for leading owner went to Lady Caroline Colthurst for her sustained support of eventing with her ‘Blarney’ prefixed horses.
In 2024, she was represented on the international stage by the 2015 ISH mare Blarney Monbeg Pepper (by Dignified van’t Zorgvliet), who had first been produced by Sian Coleman, but for the past two seasons has been campaigned by Daniel Alderson.
The Munster Region volunteer award was given to Tabitha Lillingston who, in addition to being super-groom for her daughter Lara (a dual award winner on the night), is one of those can-do people. Be it marking a fence, scribing for dressage or doing call-up at regional events, Tabitha inspires others with her cool, calm attitude and infectious smile.
The final presentation of the night was that of the ‘Bill Powell Free Spirit’ award, which honours an individual who has made an impact in the world of eventing. This year’s winner was Michelle Dulohery of Kilguilkey House, who has given so much to the sport from grassroots level through to international competition over the past 20 years.