LUCCA Stubington ended her 2022 Eventing Ireland campaign at Punchestown (3) last Saturday with a win and third-place finish from two rides and was particularly delighted with her victory in the seven-runner EI115 on Kiltown Watson who she describes as “the best horse I’ve ever ridden”.

The nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Carrick Diamond Lad ‘won’ the Paula Geiger-judged dressage phase on 26.8 penalties and held on to record his first Intermediate success despite having a pole down show jumping. Rachel Rendle, who rode the winner five times in 2019, finished second here with her 13-year-old Cyrano mare Ballyvally Bay whose total of 34 also included four show jumping penalties.

As ever, owners Jackie and Gillian Harris were on hand to support Kiltown Watson who was bred in Co Donegal by Jayne Patterson out of the Hercorose mare Carolco Rose.

“I am really delighted that the horse’s season ended with this win,” said Stubington. “Everything just came together on the day and the win was the icing on the cake. As this was my first visit to Punchestown this year, I found that the track asked a lot of different questions than before and it was great to get over onto the racecourse side. There was a nice covering of grass thanks to the rain leading up to the event.”

The Stubington event horses are now on a break but the rider has plenty to keep her occupied. “I’ve a lot of home-breds of our own to produce while other owners have sent me youngsters to break and school so we can look forward to a lot of winter training.

“I’ve been very fortunate this year to avail of the regular coaching Janet Murray has organised. I am indebted to her as we had access to training from coaches like Ian Fearon, John Ledingham and Annabel Scrimgeour and I’m much more confident show jumping than before,” said Lucca.

Beale King win

In the EI100 where she had a pole down show jumping, Stubington had to settle for third with her Grove (2) winner Zeevagh Green (33.8) as, with one of just two double clears inside the time, Gillian Beale King claimed the honours on her own and Hans Juergen Kuehnle’s Tullibards Evita (31).

This six-year-old Kuehnle-bred mare by Tullibards Benny’s Legacy, who was recording her first EI win on her 11th start of the season, is out of the 148cms jumping pony Annaghmore Mystique. She is registered on CapallOir as being perlino in colour.

As he was in Boekelo, proudly seeing daughter Jenny finish the CCI4*-L as the highest-placed newcomer on Polly Blue Eyes, Kuehnle missed this victory and that of his Cloneenagh Ted under Ben Connors in the EI100 (P). After an interrupted journey home which didn’t end until 3am Tuesday, the owner/breeder revealed that he will be driving some of the Irish horses to Le Lion.

That French competition had been the original aim for Tullibards Evita. “She’s not overbig but is very talented,” revealed Kuehnle. “Gillian was looking for a horse of her own to compete so we have this mare in partnership between us. As Gillian was committed to so many horses belonging to Richard (Ames) early in the season, it hasn’t always been easy to get the mare out and they have just taken time to get to know one another.”

First success for Shekelton

When featured in these pages as one of two members of the Irish Pony Club to pass the ‘A’ Test last year, Co Louth’s Susie Shekelton had said: “It would be my dream to pursue a career in horses but I’m also really enjoying my Masters (in Food, Nutrition and Health at UCD) and would love to go into dietetics in the future.”

Since August, the 23-year-old has been working in Athy with Jane O’Flynn, while continuing her studies, and on Saturday, she recorded her first success since moving to Co Kildare when landing the 13-runner EI90 on her dressage score with the traditionally bred Reheen Dior (31 penalties).

Owned by O’Flynn’s mother Shirley Nightingale and having just her second EI start, this five-year-old mare by the Connemara stallion Grange Jasper is on the market. The dun was bred in Co Wexford by John Joe Murphy out of the Perugino mare Reheen/Raheen Madame who ran four times on the flat in 2003 without worrying the judge but is a half-sister to five winners on the level including Kirundo who also scored three times over jumps in France.

“I’m loving it here!” said Shekleton. “I’m getting to ride a lot of young horses and I think passing the ‘A’ Test gave me the confidence to continue riding and to produce young horses. Reheen Dior is just starting on her eventing career but she is very brave. That was a nice, testing track for the end of the season and it was great that it was a dry day, not like Sunday!”