IN terms of weather, the Furnell family at Crecora have drawn the short straw this season, and having been forced to cancel their opening fixture earlier in the year, it was good to see the event running last weekend as planned.

It was a close call however, as once again the elements proved testing both in preparatory terms and on the day.

That said, the decision to go ahead was a popular one and led Dominic Furnell to comment: “Weather aside, everything went according to plan, and I know that riders appreciated our efforts to run and that we tried to do things as well as possible. There were only a few withdrawals, there were no complaints and the last vehicle was towed out by six o’clock.”

A factor that made life easier for riders was that all the classes show jumped on sand, and according to Furnell, the ground in the dressage held up well. “We also tried to change the cross-country tracks to run over the best ground we could, but it did get a small bit muddy as the day progressed.”

EI115 classes

One who was more than happy with the conditions was Michael O’Toole, whose win in the EI115 (O) hopefully marks a change in fortune. The Co Wicklow veterinary surgeon has been beset with mishaps this season, so to pull this emphatic win out of the bag was a real tonic for him and his team. “It’s still not quite plain sailing as I learnt the wrong dressage test with my other horse – despite checking it beforehand!” he remarked. “That said it’s good to turn things around.”

O’Toole’s victory came courtesy of the experienced First Obama, who led the field of six from the get go. Capitalising on this, the 10-year-old jumped clear in the show jumping and progressed to record the fastest time in the country. “Hopefully things are coming together. We had a controversial flag call at Millstreet in June, but he came back to have a good run at Ballindenisk last week, and from here we will do the four-star short at Kilguilkey this weekend,” he added.

Boekelo in the autumn could be the long-term plan for this son of Diarado who was sourced from his breeder Michael Kelly as a three-year-old. With all six runners keeping a clean sheet in the jumping phases, the clock was the deciding factor for the lower placings. The consistent Heather O’Connor and HSH It All filled second, from Sian Coleman who is forming an exciting partnership with Marie Symington’s Global Mentor.

Having been on the same squad in Jardy, France, last weekend, Patrick Whelan and Sian Coleman, were back on the job to fill the top two placings in the EI115. The pair were neck and neck after dressage, but as the time again proved significant, it was Whelan and the level first-timer HVL Ravensdale who finally gained the advantage. Coleman meanwhile, held on to second with Kilroe Frolic from Blathnaid Boyle (Mr OBOS Hullabaloo). This was a rewarding result for Whelan, who has ridden this Sharon Power-owned seven-year-old Orestus-sired mare for the past year.

“I have had her at home full time for the past couple of months, and it’s really made a difference,” explained the rider. “She’s on the market, but until she’s sold we will stick to the one-day fixtures, and try to pick up a qualification for Le Lion d’Angers at the end of the year.”