THE first of five qualifiers in the 2024 Eventing Ireland Western Region’s starter series was held last Sunday at the Clare Equestrian Centre, where it ran under the banner of new title sponsor, Bert's Properties.

The Burke family made a great effort with the course; there was plenty to see, but it was nice and flowing, which provided an excellent start for the younger horses and ponies. Scarteen’s Chris Ryan was judge for the day. Linda Kenny was in charge of scoring.

The action started with the 10-runner Sligo Candy Boy four-year-old division, sponsored by Padraig Howley. Here, series regular Tommy Considine ran out the winner with the Irish Sport Horse gelding Creevagh Stables Hes Mint (59.5 points).

Bred in Co Cork by Cathal Shine, the bay is a son of Cormint out of Kilbaha Clover (by White Clover), a half-sister to Comdt John Ledingham’s great ride, Kilbaha (by Tudor Rocket). “Like all of mine, he’s for sale but he’ll keep going in this series until he is sold,” said Considine, who purchased the winner privately last year from Brian Moran.

Lara Field and Creganna Gypsy O were the winners of the ponies section at the Eventing Ireland Western Region Starter Series last Sunday at Clare Equestrian Centre \ Rynes Walker

There was a family triumph in the Milchem Equestrian Centre five and six-year-old pony qualifier, as Lara Field claimed the honours on her mother Marjorie Hardiman’s home-bred Creganna Gypsy O (56). Oisin McDonagh would have finished a lot closer in second had Ralph Conroy’s five-year-old mare Milchem Twilight not lowered a pole for a completion score of 51.8.

Registered as an ISH, Creganna Gypsy O is a five-year-old chesnut mare by Road To Happiness out of Gypsy Gold (by The Conqueror). Sunday’s winner is just the second foal listed on the Irish Horse Register out of her dam who was campaigned in SJI 148cm classes by Thomas O’Brien and was ridden in AIRC competitions by Hardiman, as a member of Tonabrockey Riding Club.

Winner of the five-year-old class, Godfrey Gibbons and DS Are You Murchu \ Rynes Walker

Five-year-old qualifier

Liam Lynskey is not going to easily hand over his and Matt Gordon’s sponsorship money, as his home-bred ISH gelding DS Are You Murchu (58.5 points) landed the Derryronane Stud five-year-old qualifier under Godfrey Gibbons. The DS Are You With Me grey is out of the Cruising For Chics mare DS Murchus Chics.

Co Meath’s Caroline Lynch finished second here on her Moylough Bouncer gelding DS Bouncer 007 (57.5), with whom she picked up the day’s turn-out prize, sponsored by Sea Warriors Sea Supplements.

Six and Seven-year-old

Lynskey and Gibbons had to settle for the runner-up slot in the Drumhowan Stud and Cooballyshan Stud six and seven-year-old class with DS Conn Boy (61.3 points), the 2017 DS Are You With Me gelding, who provided the pair with a second place finish in the Junior/Young Rider event horse class at the Dublin Horse Show last August.

The narrow winner of Sunday’s eight-strong class was Milchem Equestrian-based Duncan McFadyen, who had finished second in the opening four-year-old class on his own and Becky Scott’s traditionally-bred Ring Of Happiness gelding RDM Ring Of Happiness (58), while he had also placed third with Ralph Conroy’s Castlelawn CC Galloway gelding, Milchem Mandela (51.6).

Here, the Scottish native topped the final leaderboard with Alan Briscoe’s Drombane General (61.5), who was bred in Co Tipperary by Michael Ryan. The Olympic Lux bay is out of the Harlequin du Carel mare Holly’s Hope, who amassed 82 SJI points before retiring to stud. She, in turn, was out of the Cruising mare Chlann Na Dhuinn.

Winner of the six and seven-year old class was Duncan Mc Fadyen and Drombane General \ Rynes Walker

Most disappointingly, there were no entries for the Treo Eile-sponsored thoroughbred class. Last year, this first round was won by the Charlie Walshe-owned and ridden Gervada, who went on to land the league.

The 2018 gelded son of Vadamos also won the Stepping Stones thoroughbred league and final under Walshe and, having qualified through the Young Event Horse Series, the once-raced bay finished equal third in the five-year-old young event horse class at Dublin, where he was ridden by Chloe Fagan.

“Hopefully, we will get some thoroughbred entries as we go on,” said the Western Region’s secretary, Marie Dunne. “We are starting earlier than we did last year, as Easter is earlier and that’s when the final is (Monday, April 1st).”

The series continues tomorrow at the Tubberbride Equestrian Centre where, as on Sunday, the winners will be presented with rugs, sponsored by Carter Anhold & Co Solicitors.