Horse Week: A packed house enjoys wall to wall sunshine at Tyrella 2

Some of the 312 competitors and their support teams were experiencing the stunning scenery of this Co Down venue for the very first time, and they were absolutely captivated.

The eventing community owes a great debt of gratitude to John and Hannah Corbett for graciously sharing their piece of paradise with them. A special thanks goes to Adam Stevenson and Aaron McCusker for their thoughtfully designed cross-country and show jumping courses. Praise also needs to go to Pat Turley and Andrew Napier for their diligent efforts in watering and aggravating the ground, ensuring it was in top condition for the event.

The team of volunteers was nothing short of amazing across all disciplines. Their unwavering commitment and passion for the sport provides a solid foundation for the Northern Region.

Numerous others showed up carrying an assortment of cakes, pastries, chocolates, and cookies to complement the delicious treats crafted by Pat Martin. She cheerfully distributed these goodies to all the fence judges as she made her rounds on two different occasions.

The team of officials is extraordinary, blending together in seamless fashion, supporting each other with nothing more than a desire to deliver a top class event, their driving force.

It certainly was a packed house with dressage starting at 8am and cross country, which was scheduled to finish at 7pm, closing up at 6.30pm.

Momo Sheehy, who made the long journey from Innishannon, Co Cork, had plenty to celebrate on Saturday evening, as she claimed victory in the 26-starter EI115 Open class with TMX Herby, her 13-year-old gelding by Zirocco Blue VDL. This combination, who moved up a level from their previous visit to Tyrella two weeks earlier, added just 2.4 time penalties to their John Lyttle awarded dressage score of 31.6. Declan Cullen and Seavaghan Ash slotted into second place, less than a penalty point adrift.

There were just 10 starters in the EI115 class where 18-year-old Donacloney girl, Lucy McDowell, galloped to the top with her father’s 10-year-old Tolan R mare, Glenvine Codename R. This partnership, now starting its third year, is certainly looking strong at this level. They led from pillar to post and completed with an advantage in excess of four points over second placed Sarah Ennis and Dolmen Stellor Design.

Lucinda Webb-Graham judged the EI 110 Open class where she was most impressed by Robbie Kearns from Co Limerick, riding the Irish Sport Horse, Pisco Sour, an 11-year-old gelding by the Dutch bred stallion, Metropole. They were awarded 20.8 and kept both jumping phases clear, adding just over four time penalties to that mark to give them an advantage of less than three points over Janie Cairns and Kensington on the Ball, her ten year old grey Beach Ball gelding.

The EI 110 class, judged by Vanda Stewart, saw Ian Cassells from Newcastle, Co Dublin, take the top two spots. He won with Noa W, Nuala McDonald’s seven year old gelding by Baltic VDL. Peak Freestyler, owned by Pat and Claire Duffy, finished second with a sub 30 completion score.

Britt Megahey, of Glenpatrick, was a proud owner/rider as he stood in the centre of the podium, having won the EI110 Amateur class with his Centrestage gelding, R Showman. They marginally exceeded the showjumping time allowed but finished clear cross country to finish three points ahead of second placed Nichola Wray and Dylan who had, once again, provided copious amounts of home baked delights for the volunteers.

Kitty Cullen, with a huge margin, won the EI 110 P class for the second successive week on Lisa Donnan’s dun Connemara pony, Greenaun Russell. Tilley Tumilty and Millbar Phynix finished in second place having moved up a level from last week.

A very heavily subscribed class of 19 juniors came under the scrutiny of Janet Hall at EI110 level where she gave her top score of 20 to Katie Gibbons from Ballinasloe, Co Galway with Ciara O’Connor from Gorey, Co Wexford, getting the next highest score of 22.8. However, Katie incurred higher cross country time penalties which meant that victory went to Ciara and Ashwood Iron Lady, owned by Sharon O’Connor.

Once again this week, a very large entry in the EI 100 class required a two-way division. Topping the ‘A’ section was Steven Smith with Jenny Smith’s You Neek, a six-year-old gelding by Diamond Roller who won the five year old Young Event Horse class at RDS last year. They led from the outset and finished on their first phase score of 27.5, just over one point clear of Amanda Goldsbury with the aptly named, Impressively Cooley, a six year old gelding by Impressive VDL, who was making its debut under Eventing Ireland rules.

Tullymurry’s David O’Connor, topped the leader board in the ‘B’ section with Desdemona, a six-year-old mare by Cormint who also added nothing to the 22.8 awarded by Genny Belton. Sam Forbes who was the early leader had to settle for second place followed a lowered pole in show jumping with DCS Millhouse Platinum, owned by his mother, Lynne Forbes.

Seventeen hopefuls in the EI 100 Amateur class took on the challenge of Adam Stevenson’s track where Ciarrai Rice and Lady J picked up yet another red rosette. In the last fourteen outings this partnership have never fallen below third place. On this occasion, they finished on their first phase score with Nicola Martin hot on their heels with Dundrum Misty Blue, just fractionally adrift. Nicola was also frantically baking in the lead up to the event to assist her mother, Pat Martin, who was in charge of hospitality.

The EI 100J class saw Ciara O’Connor pick up her second win with a first phase completion score of 25.8 on Ashwood Rio, a six-year-old gelding by Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet, owned by Sharon O’Connor. Fifteen year old Ella Kidd from Co Carlow picked up second place with Coppenagh Otto, a seven year old gelding owned by Niall Kidd.

Tadgh O’Haire claimed the winner’s rosette in the EI 100P class with his father’s gelding, Expat’s Fireworks. This. Combination have also a history of good form over the past 12 months. Kitty Cullen claimed her second placing of the day in this class with Jane Hancock’s grey gelding, Coppenagh Spring Sparrow.

The Amateur riders were certainly out in force at Tyrella with 19 competing at 90 level. Best of those was Jaclyn Brackenridge who has been having great success with Cindy and Stan Cunningham’s eleven year old appaloosa gelding, Comanche Arrow. They finished on Coreen Abernethy’s score of 22.0, one and a half points clear of Kaiti McCann and the skewbald mare, Boyher Cookies N Crème who finished in the same spot last time out.

Graduate Judge, Tina O’Connor, was most impressed in the EI 90 class by Lucca Stubington with Sheelagh Kennedy’s home bred six-year-old Tolan R mare, Magic Clementine. They meant business from the outset and completed on their flatwork mark of 24.3, over four points clear of second placed Holly Rice and her mother’s Thoroughbred mare, Supreme Dream.

The top two places in the EI 90P class were on equal penalty points with victory going to Sarah Smullen and the Connemara, Macs Silver Cookee, owned by Frances Crowley as they were closest to the optimum time. Charlie Watson occupied second place for the second successive week with her grandfather, Mervyn Gibson’s Connemara pony, Leamore Girl.

To provide an equal distribution of tests per arena, the EI 80 class was once again divided into two. The ‘A’ section was won by Kathryn Henderson and her fifteen year old mare, Mocking Bird, with whom she has had endless fun over the past nine years.

Robyn Rice came second with My Isabella, also finishing on her first phase score.

For the second successive week, Hollywood’s Karina McVeigh won the ‘B’ section with her amazing eight-year-old mare Cococabana, with whom she started her EI journey this time last year. They kept both jumping phases clear, as did second placed, Victoria Clarke and Rock Expression, owned by Deborah Donnell, who were making their debut appearance.

Huge thanks go to everyone who put in a very long day to ensure that everything ran smoothly.

Action continues at Tyrella this coming Saturday for the Northern Region’s third visit of the season.

FULL RESULTS

EI 115 Open

1. Momo Sheehy, TMX Herby;

2. Declan Cullen, Seavaghan Ash;

3. Suzanne Hagan, Loughview Commander;

4. Tara Dixon, Master Smart;

5. Michael O’Toole, First Obama;

6. Sian Coleman, Carrowgar Je T’Aime Max.

EI 115

1. Lucy McDowell, Glenvine Codename R;

2. Sarah Ennis, Dolmen Stellor Design;

3. Patricia Ryan, Rock Eclipse;

4. Jessica O’Driscoll, Lux Dam Good;

5. BRobbie Kearns, Sorella Blue;

6. Erin McClernon, Seapatrick Beachball.

EI 110 Open

1. Robbie Kearns, Pisco Sour;

2. Janie Cairns, Kensington On The Ball;

3. Steven Smith, Greenhall Gold Dust;

4. Sofie Walshe, Kinsau;

5. Alison Baird, TMS Freya;

6. Suzanne Hagan, Tullibards Right Now.

EI 110

1. Ian Cassells, Noa W;

2. Ian Cassells, Peak Freestyler;

3. Jack O’Haire, Silk Chiffon;

4. Corey Jarmen, KEC Fernhill Le Bron;

5. Sarah Ennis, LEB Rebelle;

6. Sarah Gould, Cornish Cadenza.

EI 110 J

1. Ciara O’Connor, Ashwood Iron Lady;

2. Katie Gibbons, Milchem Free Spirit;

3. Carla Williamson, Powers;

4. Alice Curley, EE Parlanti Cruise;

5. Kate Walsh, Copy Cat WM;

6. Anna Nangle, Stroke of Genius.

EI 110P

1. Kitty Cullen, Greenaun Russel;

2. Tilley Tumilty, Millbarr Phynix;

3. Tadgh O’Haire, Ballinagore.

EI 110 Amateur

1. Britt Megahey, R Showman;

2. Nichola Wray, Springhill Showman;

3. Symone Brown, Merlot.

EI 100 Amateur

1. Ciarrai Rice, Lady J;

2. Nicola Martin, Dundrum Misty Blue;

3. Lucy Toombs, Bluestone Ice;

4. Ros Morgan, VOS Surprise;

5. Christina Turley, Ann’s Bob;

6. Dean Salmon, Kylestone Carrick Prince.

EI 100 P

1. Tadgh O’Haire, Expat’s Fireworks;

2. Kitty Cullen, Coppenagh Spring Sparrow;

3. Zara Reid, Greylands Diamond Girl;

4. Sofia Ball, Glencroft Shadow Catcher;

5. Niamh Verkade, Penny Lane;

6. Niamh Verkade, Westside Mirah Jack.

EI 100 J

1. Ciara O’Connor, Ashwood Rio;

2. Ella Kidd, Coppenagh Otto;

3. Erin Mathieson, Flamenco Gypsy;

4. LKee Bloomfield, Handsome Starr;

5. Maeve Deverell, Annaharvey Rozendal;

6. Carla Williamson, Karolita O.

EI 100 ‘A’

1. Steven smith, You Neek;

2. Amanda Goldsbury, Impressively Cooley;

3. Sarah Ennis, Nycarlos H;

4. Steven Smith, Annaghmore Cornoko;

5. Elaine O’Connor, Tullymurry Masha;

6. Lois Thompson, Coastal Pride.

EI 100 ‘B’

1. David O’Connor, Desdemona;

2. Sam Forbes, DCS Millhouse Platinum;

3. Steven Smith, Watermolen Cooley;

4. Steven Smith, Sinetta;

5. Gillian Beale-King, Dorus Heldenlaan Z;

6. David O’Connor, Twice The Spice.

EI 100 T

1. Amanda Goldsbury, Call It Cooley.

EI 90 Amateur

1. Jaclyn Brackenridge, Comanche Arrow;

2. Kaiti McCann, Boyher Cookies N Crème;

3. Christine Findlay, Parklodge Over and Under;

4. Samantha Dale, Threeseas;

5. Gillian Neill, The Crafty Fox;

6. Hazel Hilland, November Kate.

EI 90

1. Lucca Stubington, Magic Clementine;

2. Holly Rice, Supreme Dream;

3. Victoria Clarke, Greenhall Overtake;

4. Sophie Clugston, Something Similar;

5. Kim O’Gorman, Boleybawn Aalto;

6. Cayleigh Erwin, Murph.

EI 90 P

1. Sarah Smullen, Macs Silver Cookee;

2. Charlie Watson, Leemore Girl;

3. Emily Turley, Budore Mystic Legend;

4. Kelsea Maginnis, Atlantic Clover Star;

5. Lucy Ferris, Duncarbery Cascade;

6. Molly Marner, Gelato.

EI 90 T

1. Emily Murphy, Lily Bobtail;

2. Katherine Shields, DS Bouncer 007;

3. Evita Thomson, Black Field;

4. Aoife Davis, Oldtown Starling;

5. Anna Andrews, Kilygarvin Tir An Og;

6. Lucy McIlroy, Ca`ptain Carnival.

EI 80 ’A’

1. Kathryn Henderson, Mocking Bird;

2. Robyn Rice, My Isabella;

3. Jonathan Steele, Cavalier. Carry On Cruising;

4. Olivia Stewart, RF Oblivion;

5. Andrew Napier, Duneight For Fun;

6. Sarah Gilchrist, Another Struggle.

EI 80 ‘B’

1. Karinas McVeigh, Cococabana;

2. Victoria Clarke, Rock Expression;

3. Eimear Watson, Gaurlin Lady;

4. Jonathan west, Monmurry Sovereign;

5. Michelle McConnell, Inisbri Dawn Chorus;

6. Lynsey Kennedy, Izzey Miyake.

EI 80 T

1. Helen Sawey-Quinn, Conor;

2. Cliodhna Kellyt, Milford Boy;

3. Edel Goodman, My Pointilliuste Diamond;

4. Jenny Nixon, Clonquest;

5. Matthew Kelly, Reinitinruby;

6. Alice Doherty-Gorman, Battle Manouevre.