LAST Sunday’s second leg of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Studbook Series for young event horses saw all three classes at Ballindenisk won by geldings produced in the northern half of the country, two in the Northern Region.

The ‘have horse will travel’ policy of Steven Smith sees the Gilford rider on the road constantly at this time of year. He had four rides in the DAFM classes on Sunday, three in the 10-runner EI115 for seven-year-olds, which he won with Terry Johnston’s Irish Sport Horse gelding, Strangford.

The combination were the only ones to complete on their dressage score (35.7 penalties). John Tilley finished second and third with Wellfields Casino Royale (37.9) and Grand Espoir (38.6), who picked up four cross-country time penalties apiece.

A very consistent son of Luidam, Strangford was bred in Co Antrim by Dorothea Wilson out of the Cruisings Micky Finn mare Templepatrick Dara Bay. On the second of just two previous starts this season, Smith and Strangford, who were 14th and best of the Irish in the CCI2*-L at Le Lion d’Angers last October, finished fifth of 28 in the CCI3*-S here at Ballindenisk in April.

Commenting on Sunday’s victory, which brought his seasonal tally of wins to eight, Smith said: “I was very pleased with Strangford. He has already gained his Le Lion qualification, so we are using the Series to gain experience.

“The Fells, as usual, put on a great event and there were plenty of questions on the EI115 track,” he continued. “The corner combination in the woods and two angled hedges near the end of the track were good questions. So too were the natural obstacles, such as the lane crossings, which educate horses to different profiles of fences. They will have learnt a lot from the experience.”

Five-year-olds

Last month, Co Down’s Clare Abbott travelled down to the first leg of the DAFM series at Kilguilkey House, where she was leading the EI100 for five-year-olds after dressage and show jumping with MT Kenobis Touch before the event was abandoned. Prior to that, she and the ISH gelding had won a 24-runner EI90 at Tyrella (3).

On Sunday, Abbott and MT Kenobis Touch were joint-first after the flatwork phase and completed on that score (29.3 penalties) to record a narrow victory over Sian Coleman and the ISH mare Randalstown Prime Time, who, too, finished on their dressage score (29.8). Alice Copithorne placed third with the ISH gelding My Lion J’Adore (33.5), who had a fence down show jumping.

The Mullaghdrin Touch The Stars-sired MT Kenobis Touch, who has also been competing in the DAFM show jumping series, is owned by Jacqueline and David Wright along with Abbott’s partner Gareth Carlisle, who bred the bay out of the Lux Z mare Lux So Easy.

Six-year-olds

Sarah Ennis won the DAFM EI110 for six-year-olds on her own Dutch Warmblood gelding Nycarlos H, with whom she finished second to Abbott in that EI90 at Tyrella (3). Ennis moved the chesnut son of Tangelo van du Zuuthoeve up to EI100 level next time out at Tyrella (4), where they finished sixth of 31, before recording an all-the-way win at Rosanna (3).

On Sunday, Ennis and Nycarlos H were lying joint-second after dressage with Daniel Alderson and Carrowgar Future, who had a fence down, as did Steven Smith and Greenhall Gold Dust, who had taken an early lead on 27.3. Moving up to finish second and third on their first phase scores were Felicity Ward on EPA Orlaith (29) and Ennis’ sister Niamh Tottenham with Slieve Callan Solice (30).