THE Horse Sport Ireland Studbook eventing series reached its conclusion during the recent Eventing Ireland National Championships at Kilguilkey House where Holly Nolan and Aisling McGreal were on hand to make the presentations on behalf of the sponsors.

Because of the disappointing loss of the one-day event at Tattersalls Ireland in mid-August, the series was reduced to three legs before the final – the re-scheduled inaugural Clonmahon House fixture and Rosanna (2) in June and Ballindenisk (2) in mid-July.

On a roll

Among those who competed at all three legs was Gilford’s Steven Smith who totally dominated the six-year-old league where he finished first, second and third on the Irish Sport Horse geldings Strangford (35 points), CJO Kann Surprise (25) and Tullaher Paudie (23).

Also finishing on 23 points, but having to settle for fourth, was Co Waterford-based Daniel Alderson with Margaret Moore’s Ballindenisk (2) winner Annestown Royal Blue, a home-bred ISH gelding by Bonmahon Master Blue.

Strangford is owned by Portadown’s Terry Johnston who purchased the brown son of Luidam as a rising four-year-old from Eamon O’Flynn.

The latter had the gelding for about a year having bought him directly from his Co Antrim breeder, Dorothea Wilson. The league winner is out of the Cruisings Micky Finn mare Templepatrick Dara Bay.

“Eamon had Strangford broken and riding when sending him over to Steven to see what he thought of him,” recalled Johnston. “I just happened to be looking for something just like him at the time so everything fell into place. He did very little at four but had a successful career in young event horse classes at five culminating in finishing second (to CJO Kann Surprise) at Dublin.”

Strangford has had eight starts in affiliated events this season. He has only once finished outside the first six, and that was when seventh of 22 in a CCI2*-S at Kilguilkey in June. His sole win to-date came in the HSI Studbook series on June 10th at Clonmahon House where CJO Kann Surprise finished second.

Plans

“This is a nice horse who we’ve had a good bit of fun with,” said Johnston, one of the stalwarts of eventing in the Northern Region and a producer of top show horses. “It would be great if he could get to Le Lion but we know that will be difficult as they only take three six-year-olds.”

Strangford is not presently on the market but it will interesting to see if he is still running in Johnston’s name next season.

The Kannan gelding CJO Kann Surprise, winner of the Rosanna (2) leg of the series, is owned by Caroline Overend and her daughter Carla Leitch. He was bred by Caroline’s late husband Trevor out of the Lux Z mare CJO Curiosity Lux.

Susan O’Shea’s Tullaher Paudie, who was third at Ballindenisk (2) and won the final leg of the series at Kilguilkey House, is a gelding by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan. He too is out of a Lux Z mare, Charles Killeen’s Tullaher Luxpat.

All three of these Smith-partnered six-year-olds have done plenty of affiliated show jumping.

Susie Shekelton, who is based with Jane O’Flynn, was the leading rider under 25 at this level with Dick McElligott’s ISH gelding Greenhall Good Decision.