THE 2024 Stepping Stones to Success league at Wexford Equestrian concluded at the Tomhaggard venue on Tuesday, when the sun shone all day.

The judges for the final were Horse Sport Ireland’s high performance dressage director Anne Marie Dunphy (dressage), breeder and former international event rider John Kyle (conformation and type for all bar the thoroughbred class), HSI’s show jumping coach to the senior eventing team Steven Smith (show jumping) and German international event and show jumping rider Kai Rüder (cross-country).

A new format for the league was introduced this year, with no points being allocated for the first two legs, where there were no judges’ comments or marks for the show jumping and cross-country phases, but there were in weeks three and four. On Tuesday, points and a half were on offer for the league, with the usual prizes being presented for first to third on the day.

“I think the new format worked well,” said league organiser Orla Roche who, along with husband Pat Peare, hosts the event at Wexford Equestrian. “Everyone seemed a lot more positive and those who competed in the first two legs appreciated the fact that their jumping rounds weren’t being commented on.

“We reduced the price of entry for the first two rounds, but I think we offer good value anyway, as we provide a full package for producers. The price charged reflects the quality of judges who, this year, all worked in separate areas, and we provide a top-class platform for sales, especially on Viewing Day, when quality videos are uploaded online. I received a lot of messages on Tuesday evening, thanking us for running the league, particularly from the thoroughbred people, who really supported the league this year.”

Two special prizes were presented on Tuesday, the winners having been selected from marks awarded by the different judges during the league. Charlie Boardman, who works at Richard Ames’ Belline Equestrian, was the recipient of the shield presented by Eventing Ireland president and leading racehorse trainer Jessica Harrington to the leading rider under 25; he also won a bursary to train in England with J.P. Sheffield.

The winner of the Tiggy’s Trust trophy for the leading rider under 18 was won by locally-based 12-year-old Lily Walsh, who finished third in the pony producers’ league on her mother Jenny’s unnamed four-year-old thoroughbred gelding by Gustav Klimt, who had been bought to go pony racing.

Lily Walsh receives the Tiggy Hancock junior rider award at the Stepping Stones final with, from left, Anne Marie Dunphy (Dressage Judge), John Kyle (Conformation Judge), Lauren Doyle (TRI Equestrian) and Kai Ruder (XC Judge) \ Tadhg Ryan Bit-Media

The generous prize-fund on offer on Tuesday included €5,000 from Horse Sport Ireland, which was divided among the winning owners and breeders in all bar the thoroughbred class.

Only one horse won their final and league and that was BT Just Special who, ridden by Graiguenamanagh veterinary surgeon Diarmuid Ryan for Co Kildare owner/breeder Bridget Speirs, claimed much of the spoils on offer in the Childeric Saddles four-year-old division and the Varna trophy.

On Tuesday, the Irish Sport Horse gelding by I’m Special de Muze amassed 224.4 points to win ahead of the John Tilly-ridden NPS Nebraska (216.5), a British-bred mare by NPS Super Nova. Ciara Kinsella finished third on the ISH mare Tykillen Shindig (215.2), a home-bred five-year-old by Dignified van’t Zorgvliet, who got into this class as she had a foal last spring (a filly by Tyson). The trio filled the top three placings in the league on 34, 27.5 and 26 points respectively.

BT Just Special is the fourth of six foals on the Irish Horse Register out of the thoroughbred mare Chitter Chatter (by Robin Des Pres), whose best-place finish from four outings, when trained by the above-mentioned Jessica Harrington, was fifth in a maiden hurdle at Gowran in March 2015, when she was ridden by Robert Power. A half-sister to three track winners, Chitter Chatter comes from the family of Chattering, Mischievous Millie and Marello. If not sold, BT Just Special will be aimed at the Young Eventhorse Series, in a bid to qualify for the Dublin Horse Show, and may take in one or two of the jumping qualifiers as well.