THE Western Region of Eventing Ireland held the fifth and final qualifier in its 2023 Sealac eventing starter series last Sunday at the Clare Equestrian Centre and immediately thoughts turned to the final which takes place this coming Monday at Milchem Equestrian Centre.

Once again, the weather gods looked down favourably on the Doora venue where Marie and John Burke produced a lovely, flowing track of seven show jumps followed by six cross-country type fences. Doubling up as an encouraging commentator, Marie remarked afterwards how impressed she was with the quality of riders and how the horses were produced so well.

The flat judge on Sunday was Una O’Donnell, another swayed by the series format, while the ever forward-thinking, hi-tech committee arranged for the scoring to be done remotely on this occasion by Ruth Waldron.

One combination not qualified for Monday is Suzanne Arthur and the Irish Draught mare Adroon Ceidre Pearl who, in spite of picking up four penalties in the jumping phase, ran out narrow winners of the Padraig Howley-sponsored Sligo Candy Boy class for four-year-olds on a total of 50.5 marks.

Geraldine McMahon finished second on her black OBOS Quality 004 gelding GGS Lux Quality (50) who is one of 16 through to the final – as is RDM Ring Of Mercury (49.5) who placed third under his owner, Becky Scott.

The winner, a grey daughter of Ceide Prince, was bred in Co Clare by Gerard Foley out of the Mountain Pearl mare Ardroon Pearl who, in turn, was out of a Sea Crest mare. Adroon Ceidre Pearl was one of seven of the 17 starters who incurred four jumping penalties.

Two of the 20 horses qualified for Monday’s Derryronane Stud five-year-old final, sponsored by Liam Lynskey and Matt Gordon, are due to be ridden by Ballinasloe’s Godfrey Gibbons who won Sunday’s qualifier on board the first of these, the traditionally-bred Irish Sport Horse gelding Ballyj Ed.

Gibbons, a member of the Irish Junior eventing team for the past two seasons and winner of team silver last year when he finished individual fifth, established a marginal lead in Sunday’s flat work phase on Ballyj Ed (53.5) which he maintained to the end. The bay, who is by the ID sire Black Hero, was bred by Fintan McGrath out of the non-winning Pilsudski mare Memories Of Emly.

Co Clare’s Niamh Tottenham also completed on her O’Donnell-awarded score to place second with her home-bred Tyson gelding, Slieve Callan Solice (53), ahead of Anita Algierowicz with the Tolan R mare Cairnview Crysal Springs (49.5). Five of the 17 starters were penalised in the jumping phase in this class.

Doubly rewarded

Having endured two very frustrating days the previous weekend, Gibbons was doubly rewarded on Sunday as he also won the last of the six and seven-year-old qualifiers on the Irish Sport Horse gelding Conn Boy – but only after the remotely-based Waldron had a second look at the scores.

Gibbons and the 2017 DS Are You With Me gelding completed on their flat work mark of 54 as did Hannah Gordon with the seven-year-old OBOS Quality 004 gelding Harvey Specter. With the higher score for overall impression, Gibbons claimed the honours on Conn Boy who was bred in Co Mayo by Michael Barrett out of the Silvano mare Portroe Girl who was out of a Master Imp mare.

Another of the series regulars, Tommy Considine, finished third on the Holstein gelding Shannondale Conor (52.5). This six-year-old Casall La Silla bay, who was bred in Poland, has 25 Show Jumping Ireland points to his credit.

Oisin McDonagh has three animals qualified for Monday’s final of the Ralph Conroy-sponsored Milchem Equestrian pony class. Two belong to Conroy himself while the other, Full Moon Magic, is owned by the rider’s father Martin.

It was on Full Moon Magic, a six-year-old 148cms bay gelding by Bog Mac Bobby, that McDonagh won Sunday’s qualifier on his flat work mark of 51.5. Karen Fox also completed on her first phase score to finish second with the 2017 Good Thyne Cavalier gelding Lissarulla Lucky Cavalier (51). Milchem stable jockey Jason Doerflinger slotted into third with the five-year-old mare Milchem Illusion (47.5).

All but two of the 11 starters were clear in the jumping phase with 16 combinations now qualified for the final of this five and six-year-old pony class.

Unraced

Disappointingly, there were only two starters in the Treo Eile-sponsored class for thoroughbreds although six have qualified for Monday’s final. The winner, on his flat work score (43.5), was Rio Sandor who was ridden for his owner, Janet Harvey, by her granddaughter, Abigail Quinn.

Bred in Downpatrick by Pat Turley, this 2017 bay gelding is by Sir Prancelot out of the Val Royal mare Riochas who was placed on the flat and is a full-sister to the Grade 1-placed and Grade 2 and 3 winner, Valbenny. Rio Sandor is unraced although he was in training with Michael Flannery in Ballinrobe. He moved to his present abode nine months ago.

Marginally behind following the first phase (42 marks), Gerry Daniels finished further adrift having picked up eight jumping penalties with the 12-year-old Teofilo gelding Osaruveetil who, on his debut at three, won a mile and three-furlong maiden on the all-weather at Kempton in October 2014. Then trained by William Haggas for Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, he failed to win another race in five starts and was retired following his last outing in July 2016.

A list of all qualified combinations can be found on the Western Region’s Facebook page where videos and photographs of the series winners can also be seen. Title sponsor Sealac will be presenting a 1.5kg tub of Sealac 60 to the connections of all horses forward at Monday’s final where the Traditional Irish Horse Association will be presenting a prize to the highest-placed traditional Irish horse in each of the age classes.

In addition, series photographer Chloe Goggins will present an 8x10 framed photograph of their choice to the winner of each class.