FIVE doubles and a successful return to regional action were among the highlights of Sunday’s South East Region show at Spruce Lodge, where the weather was a mixture of glorious sunshine and heavy downpours.

Oscar O’Connor, who hadn’t competed in the region since breaking his leg playing rugby in February, marked his return by winning the Preliminary BD19, judged by Camilla Driver (List 6), on the Oldenburg gelding Funkstar (71.67%), who he owns in partnership with his mother Susie.

The German-bred five-year-old, who was imported from Denmark last November, made his debut at Marlton on May 11th, and won and placed second a week later at Redhills. “We had great plans for Oscar’s TY year, but his leg break disrupted everything,” commented Susie. “In addition to dressage, he’s back show jumping schooling and is looking forward to going back eventing.

“Oscar could still be riding in ponies, but he’s shot up and now just wants to ride horses. We have this fellow and a three-year-old we also brought in and some other young horses to get going and we would love to get back on the international circuit, where you learn so much.”

Funkstar, who is a son of Foundation, is out of the Sir Donnerhall mare Fanfare.

Rathmolyon’s Caroline Lynch recorded a double on her Irish Sport Horse gelding DS Bouncer 007, a grey son of Moylough Bouncer. On 78.20%, they topped Driver’s overall leaderboard in the Preliminary BD15 and, on 74, recorded an uncontested victory in the DI national young horse test for five-year-olds, which was judged by Joan Ahern (List 2).

Caroline Lynch and DS Bouncer 007 won the BD15 and the DI national young horse test for five-year-olds at Spruce Lodge \ Louise O'Brien Photography

Elementary

Ahern and Jean Halpenny (List 4) were agreed on their Elementary winners, Heidi Hamilton and Daphne Ladley’s unregistered ISH gelding Cavaliers Cruiz. The Co Wicklow combination scored 68.06% in the eight-runner BD40, judged by Halpenny, and 69.64 in the Ahern-assessed, five-strong BD57. This weekend, Hamilton and the seven-year-old Cruisings Ambassador bay are competing in the CCI2*-L at Millstreet.

Anne Marie Dunphy’s double came on two different horses. She landed the Ahern-judged Prix St George, in which there were four starters, on LEB Hugo (67.21%), her 11-year-old ISH gelding by Woodlander Rockstar, while she and her Dutch Warmblood mare Pedigree OK (by Le Formidable) were the only combination to come before Vida Tansey (List 1) in the four-year-old class, where they scored 77.

Young Kate Murphy recorded an uncontested mixed double in the FEI pony classes, scoring 59.14% on Red Hot Butterscotch in the Team test and 68.92 on Top Hero 2 in the individual.

Millie Cosgrave’s two wins in the Children on Horses tests (70.65 team and 70.46 individual) came on her mother Sarah Mellor’s 17-year-old Oldenburg mare Let’s Dance.

Medium

In the Medium classes, 68.97% was the top score in both the BD61 won by Rachel Dowley on GFL Nava, her six-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by For Romance, and by Isla Coad on Josephine Delahoyde’s nine-year-old dun mare Klein Roderijs Gold Fee in the BD73.

Finn O’Gara achieved a score of 69.68% in the Jean Halpenny-judged, 10-runner Novice BD38 on Eithne Scully’s Anglo European Studbook-registered Santana, a six-year-old gelding by Wish Upon A Star.

The South East Region returns to Spruce Lodge for their next show on Sunday, June 23rd and have confirmed that their two-day summer festival ‘The Classic’ will be staged at the Wicklow venue over the weekend of August 3rd and 4th.