CO Down’s Susie Berry has been a busy rider since helping Ireland to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games last month and, ahead of her final international of the year at Boekelo this weekend, she won a CCI4*-S at the Childeric Saddles Little Downham International last week.

Berry was riding the nine-year-old gelding Wellfields Lincoln, owned by Anne Marling and Sue Wilkinson.

After scoring a 32.1 in the dressage, she was clear over the show jumps before picking up 8.40 time faults across the country to win on a score of 40.50. Her time was the second fastest of the day when none of the 23 made the six minutes optimum time.

Berry was runner-up in the Advanced section with the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse Clever Trick (Financial Reward x Bonnie Prince XX), bred by Kilcandra Stud in Co Wicklow. The pair added 9.20 cross-country time penalties to their dressage score (33.6) to finish second on 42.80 behind Britain’s Tom McEwen with Bob Chaplin (35.20).

Osberton Irish winners

There was an Irish-bred winner of the CCI3*-L at Osberton International in Britain last weekend when Ros Canter guided the nine-year-old MHS Seventeen to victory. Canter, who has become known for finishing on her dressage score, did so again here when adding nothing to 26.6. By Callahan out of MHS Dancing Queen (Quidam Junior I), the gelding was bred by Mary Brennan.

Familiar to readers of Irish Horse World will be the winner of the seven-year-old championship, Dassett Arthalent under Piggy March. The Valent gelding was bred by Catherine Abbott out of the Nigrasine mare Timpany Night, and produced by her daughter Clare through the ranks in Ireland where they were winners of multiple classes under Eventing Ireland rules and earned 39 SJI points.

Now under the ownership of Olivia Davidson, Dassett Arthalent added just 1.2 time penalties to a opening phase score of 27.7 to finish on 28.9.

March also finished runner-up with another Irish Sport Horse, the Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry-owned Brookfield Future News (Future Trend x Last News) who was bred by Hilary Furlonger. The pair completed on their dressage score of 29.2.

Robbie Kearns made sure his trip was worthwhile when finishing fifth with the talented Very Dignified (Dignified van’t Zorgvliet x Ricardo Z), bred by Deirdre Bowler. The placing would have been third but for four time penalties across the country which saw them complete on 36.

The Judith Sossick-bred Loughview Verdis Dream finished second in the four-year-old showcase under owner Becky Hartley. The gelding is by Verdi out of the Limmerick mare Loughview La La.