IT hasn’t gone down well with everyone, but the decision taken late last week by the Board of Eventing Ireland to remove all time penalties from the EI100 Junior and Amateur classes at the recent national championships at Kilguilkey House, means that some combinations are sharing the same finishing positions, but on different scores.

Last Saturday, working from the original set of results, we reported that the first three in the Childeric Saddles EI100 (Amateur) championship were Karen Blakely Palmer, who completed on her dressage score with Knocklucas Ascalon (31.5), Rachael O’Callaghan who picked up 1.2 cross-country speeding tickets on Gervada (32) and Susanna Boxwell who lowered one of the coloured poles with JMHillfield Double Diamond (32.9).

Now one sees that Blakely Palmer shares first place with Samantha Dale on Threeseas (29.9), O’Callaghan and Gervada, who are on 30.8, are joint second with Ciarrai Rice and Lady J (30.3), while Boxwell remains third on JMHillfield Double Diamond (32.9).

“All of my friends were laughing when they heard I got speeding time penalties,” said Dale, who runs a newsagents business in Carrickfergus and is a judge, safety officer and amateur competitor with Showjumping Ireland. “I’d have needed a helicopter to be 45 seconds under the time,” she added to underline the point.

“I’m glad the Board eventually did what they did, as I wanted the win, which I felt I deserved, but, at the same time, I wouldn’t want the prize taken off anyone else.

“The organisers knew early enough that there was a problem and I think the decision should have been taken on the day.”

Dale’s desire to be crowned champion was understandable, as she returned to eventing this season following a 24-year break.

“It was my friend Anita Doherty, who encouraged me to get back competing,” revealed Dale, who will be 56 in a couple of weeks’ time. “I bought Threeseas as a three-year-old in Goresbridge and Anita gave her a couple of runs in 2020, winning an EI90 first time out at Loughanmore, and then throughout 2021 and 2022, bringing her up to EI110 level. I jumped her at that stage as well and she earned about 120 points.

“The mare likes show jumping, but loves her cross-country - although saying that, every day is different with her. We’re not finished for the season, as I’ve entered the CCI1*-Intro at Ballindenisk, where I hope I can get my head around the dressage – I never rode in a 60x20 arena in the past!”

With Suzanne Hagan and the aforementioned Anita Doherty as her best friends, Dale doesn’t lack for encouragement when it comes to jumping, while she has received some extra coaching on the flat over the past few weeks from Joanne Jarden. The 13-year-old Threeseas, who is by Ars Vivendi, was bred in Co Roscommon by Thomas Lynch out of the Little Interest mare Remembering Lissy.

We are told that Andrew Moore was “gutted” when losing out on the EI100 (J) title at Kilguilkey House, but now the Kildare Pony Club member and The Blue Diamond, on 25.8 penalties, share first place with Hannah Groves and The Kings Ransom (27.4).

Three combinations are now second on 28.5 – Ellen Holmes and Rastaman, who were there at the close of play on the Sunday of the national championships, plus Madeline McSweeney on Balladeer Give A Guidam and Isobelle Esta Roche with Splendid B, who were both promoted.

This delayed announced win means that Moore and The Blue Diamond completed a hat trick of EI100 (J) victories at Kilguilkey House, their earlier successes being recorded at Tattersalls and Hazeldene last month. Moore shares the ride on the 13-year-old mare (who has no recorded pedigree) with his mother Kathleen, who competes the grey at Preliminary level with Dressage Ireland.