THE 2024 Stepping Stones to Success league at Wexford Equestrian commenced on Wednesday, when the new format came into operation.

What also came into operation were roadworks at the main roundabout into Wexford town, with lengthy delays causing competitors to ring the league organiser, Orla Roche, in a panic. “We had to move a few people around in the order, but everyone was very obliging and, after all the fuss, the four-year-old competition ended on time,” said Roche.

Following heavy rain all night, there were just a few showers on Wednesday when, for the first time, the dressage arena was erected on sand outside, while the show jumping phase was conducted indoors. Having tackled nine show jumping fences, including a double, in the indoor arena, competitors were to make their way directly to the Derby arena for their course of 10 cross-country fences.

For the first two weeks of the league, only the results of the first three in each of the four classes are being published and we start with the 17-runner Childéric five-year-old class. Here, the winning owner/rider Caroline Lynch was delighted with her Irish Sport Horse gelding, DS Bouncer 007, despite the grey having four marks taken off his Mark Ruddock-awarded dressage score for a total of 57.5.

We reported on this Co Meath combination recently, following their win in round two of the Eventing Ireland Western Region starter series and that Berts Properties-sponsored final on Monday at the Milchem Equestrian Centre is their most immediate target.

Thrilled

Briefly, DS Bouncer 007, who is by Moylough Bouncer, was bred in Co Tipperary by Aisling O’Brien out of the Castlecomer Queen mare Duharra Silver Rose. Lynch purchased him from Liam Lynskey last June and he has a good bit of experience under his belt in dressage, working hunters and arena eventing.

“I am absolutely thrilled, shocked and in disbelief,” said Rathmolyon-based Lynch.

“I’ve been knocking on the door a long time, but today was our day!”

Also with four jumping penalties, John Tilley finished second on the Traditional ISH gelding Ballymaclune Mossy (55.3), who carries 76.56% thoroughbred blood, being by the Sea The Stars stallion Awesome Star out of a show jumping mare by Young Convinced. League regular Ciara Power slotted into third, on her dressage score (54.9), with Sharon Power’s Sportsfield Super Star, a bay ISH gelding by Vivant Van De Heffinck.

John Tilley and NPS Nebraska, winners of the four-year-old class at the Stepping Stones event at Wexford EC \ Tadhg Ryan, Bit-Media

Four-year-olds

Professional producers were much to the fore in the Childéric Saddles four-year-old class, where Tilley, who had two rides in this section, finished first, on his dressage score (62.9), with NPS Nebraska.

Owned by the rider and partner Andrew Williams’ Kilkenny International, this Breeders Elite Studbook-registered mare was bred at New Priory Stud in Wiltshire by Julie Whibley. The grey is by the Holstein stallion NPS Super Nova (a son of Casall) out of the KWPN-registered mare Fatima (by Diabeau). This is the family of Rinus (CCI4*-L).

“The breeder sent us this mare at the beginning of last year and we really like her,” Williams told the Irish Horse World. “She did go to the Go For Gold Sale, but we decided not to sell (led out unsold at €30,000), so we are going to produce her ourselves. Because she is not Irish-bred, she can’t do the Dublin qualifiers, but she will do all the other young event horse classes, such as Millstreet.”

Locally-based Paddy Byrne claimed the runner-up spot, on his dressage score (60.7), with the Holstein stallion Casallido, who is owned by Jack Murphy’s Dolmen Sport Horses. The brown son of Casall was bred in Germany by Jendrik Oldekop out of a Calido I mare.

Four jumping penalties proved costly for Ellen Tracey, who finished third on Miriam Bourke’s home-bred ISH gelding Enniskerry Step Up, a chesnut by Balou du Rouet out of a mare by the recently-deceased Loughehoe Guy.