IT may not seem that Co Limerick’s Dominic Furnell had the best of times at last week’s Lisgarvan House International but he was upbeat about his horses, particularly the Maxus Ireland CCI2*-S winner, Horlepiep, and was full of praise for this new international event.

Seventeen combinations, mainly Irish, started against Furnell and his Dutch Warmblood gelding but he grabbed the initiative when ‘winning’ the dressage phase on 26.2 penalties and, although a second over the time across the country, he held on to win on 26.6.

On their sole rides at the Co Carlow fixture, Oleana Cowan completed on the flat work mark she was awarded by Vanda Stewart and Paula Geiger to finish second with RCA Royal Mist (26.8) as did Elizabeth Power with Dassett Fortune (29.9). The cross-country course caused very few problems but there were two eliminations in the show jumping phase.

Furnell has been competing Horlepiep since the summer of 2019 but now feels it’s time for the 11-year-old Saffier bay to move on. “He’d be an ideal ride for a Junior or Young Rider. He’s good-looking and flashy. His flat work is excellent and he’s a very good jumper. Importantly, he’s very honest across the country and never waivers at corners or skinnies.

“I suppose if you look at my results in the three and four-star classes they weren’t great but my horses are green at those levels and I wouldn’t be too worried about them.

“I have to say it was a lovely event,” continued Furnell. “The going was great considering the weather we’ve had and the cross-country courses and fences were very good – but then, I wouldn’t expect anything less from the Bradys and Clive Corrigan. The hospitality was good and all in all it was a very enjoyable event. You can see it developing year on year and hopefully it will start to attract the great numbers who used to come over from England to Camphire.”