THE third running of the Treo Eile Christmas Show took place on Thursday at Emerald Equestrian, where the highlight of the day’s action was the Horse Racing Ireland/Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classic, a two-round team competition over an 80cm course designed by Geourgei Geourgiev, who was assisted by Shane Brooks.

The big guns were out when it came to the commentary team of Chris Ryan and Kevin O’Ryan for the first round, where all four team members jumped. O’Ryan then stayed on for the second round when he was joined by The Irish Field’s advertising sales and marketing manager, Brendan McArdle. For this timed round, just the jockeys on each team jumped the first half of the course, with the pony riders completing the rounds as fast as they could.

Three teams went into the second round on a zero score, but only one of these remained in the first three by the end of the competition, Camas Park and Summerhill Studs. They did so in 54.78 seconds thanks to excellent clears from the still very competitive nine-time Irish champion National Hunt jockey Charlie Swan, who rode Oscar Encore, and 12-year-old Kiki Curran on board CC Cheyene.

Also on the team, sponsored by Tim and Trish Hyde, were Kiki’s father Comdt Geoff Curran, who warmed up for last night’s Puissance at the London International Horse Show with a first round clear here on Briar Hill, and Swan’s daughter Olivia, who also jumped clear on her CCI3*-L eventer Clonakilty Bay, a nine-year-old thoroughbred gelding by Masterofthehorse, who ran three times over the winter of 2019/’20.

The winning Camas Park/Summerhill team of Olivia Swan, Kiki Curran, Charlie Swan and Commandant Geoff Curran with Timmy Hyde of Camas Park (team sponsor), John Osborne and Suzanne Eade of HRI and Mrs Trish Hyde (far right) \ Siobhan English

An expensive four faults proved the undoing of the Jessica Harrington Racing duo of Robbie Power on Sizing John and Lucy Kent riding Hollycreek Oran Splendour, whose time of 58.59 was never going to trouble the winners. There were three thoroughbreds on this team, which also included Power’s sister, Esib, the five-star event rider who partnered Wyett Earp and Jamie Buckley on Woodland Opera.

Finishing third with eight faults was the Randox team, three of whom also rode thoroughbreds. These were the stylish, multiple champion amateur jockey Patrick Mullins on Arvika Ligeonniere, Louise Duffy riding the not-long-retired Al Boum Photo and Stephanie McGlynn on Mickah Wallace. The pony rider on the squad was Ronan Duffy who partnered Twinkle Star Cedar.

Strong sponsors

The title sponsors of the show were Horse Racing Ireland, represented by John Osborne and Suzanne Eade, EBF Stallions (Irish racing’s largest sponsor) and Godolphin, all of whom advertised in the evening’s programme – the first-named, quite extensively in different guises.

John Osborne and Suzanne Eade of HRI lift the trophy with winning rider Charlie Swan \ Siobhan English

Godolphin promoted their lifetime care policy, which pertains at their studs and racing stables throughout the world, while Juddmonte Farms’ advertisement featured photographs of four of their former racehorses in their new careers in endurance, showing, dressage and riding for the disabled.

Moyglare Stud once again sponsored the parade of champions, many of whom had been trained by Willie Mullins. Alphabetically the ridden horses on view were Al Boum Photo, Arvika Ligeonniere, Briar Hill, Douvan, Faugheen, General Principle, Milliner, Renneti, Sizing John and Woodland Opera.

It was not only the teams who comprised a mix between racing and equestrian sports at Emerald Equestrian, as the fence sponsors included Horse Sport Ireland. The organisation’s chief executive officer, Denis Duggan, was present as was the governing body’s recently-appointed acting head of high performance sport, Bernard Jackman, who was interviewed by Kevin O’Ryan. Connolly’s Red Mills sponsored a fence and also the best turned-out award and Orla Cleary riding Daisy was judged best turned-out by the sponsor’s Sarah Darker. Also showing their support for Treo Eile was the Irish Racehorse Trainers’ Association whose chairman, Ado McGuinness, was present on the night.

Kiki Curran with the Treo Eile Trophy after she was part of the winning Camas Park/Summerhill team in the HRI Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classic \ Siobhan English

Other classes

The competitive action at Thursday’s Treo Eile Christmas Show in Emerald Equestrian commenced in the early afternoon with the Weatherbys Ireland GSB Thoroughbred Discovery class, an 80cm two-phase competition.

There were 29 starters, of whom five went double clear with the fastest of that quintet being show regular Sarah Wardell, who stopped the clock on 30.46 seconds with her mount Whydah. Wardell and the nine-year-old Black Sam Bellamy gelding, who failed to win in 15 starts when trained by Jessica Harrington, finished fourth of 36 in the CCI3*-S at Ballindenisk in September.

Sarah Wardell on her way to winning the Weatherbys Ireland GSB Limited TB Discovery on the nine-year-old gelding Whydah, by Black Sam Bellamy \ Siobhan English

Anna Tarpey won the prize for the highest-placed rider under 18 when second (33.36) on the 17-year-old Oscar gelding Silent Picture, a bumper winner who last ran for Tom Taaffe in May 2012. Cork veterinary surgeon Amy Walsh was third (40.75) on the former Stuart Crawford-trained Trucking Along, on whom she enjoyed a very successful Eventing Ireland season, while the highest-placed mare in a field of mainly geldings was the Ellie Treanor-ridden Aughnamallagh Lady (40.79). The same format and height of fences were used in the following equuip Pony Christmas Cracker, where the fastest of nine double clears in the 23-runner class was recorded by Ellen O’Neill on the 10-year-old 148cm skewbald gelding Gateau Mr Blue (27.52 seconds).

Lucy Kent, who rode in the later team competition, finished second on the 17-year-old 128cm chesnut gelding Hollycreek Oran Splendour (30.46), with Chantal Whitehead getting the nod when stopping the clock on 31.11 with the 12-year-old 138cm black gelding Sergant Jack.