THREE riders in the underage divisions have recorded two wins apiece since the Eventing Ireland season belatedly commenced at Lightsource BP Tyrella (1) on Saturday, March 25th.

There and then, Tom Nestor recorded a narrow victory in the 19-runner EI110 (J) on his father David’s Irish Sport Horse gelding, Cooley Diamond Dancer. The Co Kildare rider and the former show jumper, an 11-year-old Jack Of Diamonds grey, returned to the Corbett family’s seaside estate two weeks later when they repeated the win, comfortably seeing off 19 rivals, to head the league on 24 points.

Sixteen-year-old Nestor, who had a very successful pony career with Freddie and Tullaree Ruby Tuesday, spent some time last summer working at Cooley Farms where he impressed Richard Sheane with his dedication to improving his riding and his willingness to work hard, listen and learn.

Oleana Cowan won the EI110 (J) at Lisgarvan House on April 9th when recording the only double clear inside the time with her mother Amaya’s RCA Royal Mist. Cowan first began competing the 11-year-old Royaldik mare, with a win at EI100 (J) level, at Frankfort Stud early last September. The bay had previously been campaigned for breeder Richard Ames by senior US international Gillian Beale King.

Completed

At EI100 (J) level this season, there was a win at Tyrella (1) for Alex O’Hare who completed on her dressage score (26 penalties) with her new partner for 2023, the Dutch Warmblood mare Jerona HBC. This 2014 grey by Farfan M out of the Alicante HBC mare Ferona II was previously ridden by Britain’s Jessica Campbell.

Having led after the first phase that day, Izzy Barrett had to settle for second with the ISH mare BGS Mikado who had a pole down show jumping for a total of 29.5. At Tyrella (2), the 13-year-old Co Wicklow rider had no such problems as she led throughout on the 2012 BGS Electric Line bay on whom she took over the rider from her sister Emily.

In common with the two Tyrella competitions, the EI100 (J) at Lisgarvan House was well-filled. Four of the top five on the final leaderboard completed on their dressage scores headed by EI debutant Kate Walsh and Clare Corballis’s experienced 17-year-old chesnut gelding Lisheen Fork Lightning.

Busy out

Carla Williamson has been busier than most other pony riders this season as she has notched up two EI110 (P) wins and a similar number of placings from five outings to date.

First up, the Co Meath rider partnered her aunt Carol Swan’s Rockon Pedro, a 12-year-old gelding by Newton Pedro, to victory at Tyrella (1). She had led the 10-runner class after dressage with Galco who made up for his disappointing show jumping round later that day when finishing alone in the two-runner class at Lisgarvan House.

Also at EI110 (P) level, Williamson and Jane Hancock’s Ardeo Fireman (48.4) had to settle for second at Tyrella (2) behind The Irish Field junior event rider of 2022, and 2021, Ben Connors, on board the Connemara gelding Cornafest Fred (40.7). Co Kildare 15-year-old Connors won team gold and, for the second time, individual silver at the European pony championship in Poland on Cornafest Fred, a 10-year-old bay by Gwennic de Goariva.

Winners

EI100 (P) winners this term include Gilby Monaghan on board Rolline O’Callaghan’s Connemara mare Longwood Laura, a 2014 daughter of I Love You Melody, at Tyrella 1. At Lisgarvan House, where five of the top six riders were mounted on Connemaras, the honours went to Kirstyn Reel who led throughout with Nicola Hobson’s 13-year-old Mac Owen mare Glanmore Honey.

Kildare Pony Club member Tadgh O’Hare had two outings under EI rules last season and has recorded two wins from three starts this year. He first struck at Tyrella (1) where he landed the 14-strong EI90 (P) on his father James’s 11-year-old Expat’s Show Off gelding Expat’s Fireworks. He also finished fifth on that occasion with James’s Ballinagore Hero, a nine-year-old skewbald gelding he partnered to victory in the EI100 (P) at Tyrella (2).

Second to O’Haire at the season’s opener, Eve Lindsay topped a trio of Connemara riders at the end of the 10-strong EI90 (P) at Tyrella (2) on the 12-year-old Gwennic de Goariva mare Kilcurry Gem while in the two-runner class at that level at Lisgarvan House, there was a comfortable all-the-way win for Molly Hennessy Murphy on the 15-year-old grey gelding, My Late Find.