ALISON and James Callion plus their four young children Thomas, Angus, Toby and Poppy welcomed the Northern Region of Eventing Ireland to Ash Hollow Equestrian outside Dromore, Co Tyrone, last Saturday for their first affiliated event.

A few people remarked that the venue resembled a golf course more than an equestrian facility when driving down between the trimmed hedges and, had it been, one would have been able to see the action at a few holes at a time as there were some very good vantage points around the undulating cross-country course.

Making great use of the terrain, work on the Adam Stevenson-designed tracks began some years ago while additional fences, built by Scott McIvor from locally sourced timber, have added to the variety of obstacles.

The lay-out of the ‘enclosure’, where parking was strictly enforced, was excellent and one could watch a lot of the cross-country action while eating at one of the benches overlooking the track.

The children’s show jumping area was busy all day as was the approach to and from the buckets of free carrots and apples.

Unfortunately, as with all outdoor sports, golf included, the weather is the one thing that, for now at least, cannot be controlled.

Aaron McCusker described the ground as good when he laid out the show jumping course on Thursday but, following hours of very heavy rain on Friday, it cut up badly on Saturday as it did in the dressage arenas. As ever, some riders – and horses – fared better than others with the conditions and while I didn’t see every horse complete, those I did see come through the cross-country finish, did so strongly.

Taking time out to talk briefly to me on Saturday, a busy Alison Callion paid tribute to her parents, Ron and Carrie Bradley, for their stewardship of Ash Hollow and voiced her thanks to all those who helped in any way in the lead-up to and on Saturday.

She has since posted a lengthy, heartfelt comment on the event on Facebook and we particularly liked her closing sentence: “During the preparation there’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears here but we think it’s been worth it.”

Among the many southern riders who supported this inaugural Northern Region event at Ash Hollow on Saturday was Co Wicklow-based New Zealand international Amanda Goldsbury who, concentrating on show jumping to this point, had made just one previous EI start this season. She rode two horses in graded company and two in the EI90 (T) including a stunning grey.

New stewards

Walking the undulating cross-county course, one met some new, local fence stewards who were drafted in for the day by the Callions and a new veterinary surgeon for Northern Region events, Catriona Thornton. Attached to Campsie & Strule, who have branches in Newtownstewart and Omagh, Catriona arrived for the cross-country phase having spent the morning TB testing.

Most unusually, the scorers, Richard McCracken and Nicky Nesbitt, shared the same stone building as the busy event and regional secretary Dora Beacon, plus the very many extra prizes which were awarded at the end of the day.

Far from being put out by their easy accessibility to anyone querying a score, they were, in fact, delighted with their position Richard saying: “Perhaps we’ll hear some of the gossip for a change!”

Cross-country commentators Raymond Bready and Peter Quirke kept everyone informed on the progress of the Irish pony eventing team competing in Germany and of the Irish participants in the Olympic Games in Paris.

Raymond was particularly happy to mention his connection to the family of Rhys McClenaghan who was to later win pommel horse gold.