LISTENING to the radio as she drove home to Mount Callan in Co Clare last Saturday, Niamh Tottenham was disappointed to hear Ireland being beaten in the Six Nations rugby, but at least her day had gone to plan, with a win at the Milchem Equestrian Centre.

The Tynagh venue hosted the third qualifying round in the Eventing Ireland Western Region’s Berts Properties starter series on a bitterly cold but mainly dry day. Host, and regional chairman, Ralph Conroy, had done a lot of work with the course, which featured new fences, both show jumping (1 to 8) cross-country (9 to 18), and flowers.