Ash Hollow hosts inaugural event
A hearty welcome and widely praised courses greeted competitors at the new Co Tyrone fixture
Saturday marked the dawn of a new era in the quiet Co Tyrone countryside, just outside Dromore, where James and Alison Callion and their four children, Thomas, Angus, Toby and Poppy, hosted their first Eventing Ireland event under the auspices of Ash Hollow.
The diversification project was the brainchild of Alison, who developed the concept in 2020, when she and her husband, James, took over the family farm, which had been lovingly worked for a lifetime by her mum and dad, Ron and Carrie Bradley. They decided that retirement beckoned and, although they can be credited with the foundations of this new and exciting venture, the cement was definitely laid by Alison, who, together with her husband, James and Northern Region FEI Course Designer, Adam Stevenson, have been developing and progressing the dream over the past four years.
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It is said that a dream worth pursuing is both a picture and blueprint of a person’s purpose and potential and that dreams come in all shapes and sizes.
For sure, Alison dreamt big and her vision was a most inspiring picture of a future that energised her mind and empowered the whole family to achieve her perspicacity, which definitely materialised on Saturday, when 150+ competitors from all parts of Ireland, north and south, descended on Ash Hollow.
Competitors were greeted with perfectly manicured hedges and a hearty and hospitable reception from James and six-year-old Toby, who were assisted by Jim Stevenson on parking duties. Alison’s scones are legendary and they were out in force in copious amounts to feed the workers, accompanied by the equally legendary cakes and buns of Nichola Wray.
There were SO many little unique touches that created an impression of caring and attention to detail, which were very much appreciated. This included bowls of carrots and apples for the very important and much-loved four-legged friends.
Unfortunately, in line with current trends, the weather did not fully co-operate and persistent rain over a four-hour period on Friday was not what Ash Hollow needed.
However, competitors understood that the one thing falling outside the remit of organisers and landowners is the weather and every effort was made to minimise the effect on the competition.
Adam Stevenson’s courses and choice of fences were widely praised, as was Aaron McCusker’s show jumping track, which proved extremely influential in the undulating ground, which is a rarity nowadays with so much jumping carried out on all-weather surfaces.
Steven Smith had another successful day, taking a duo of wins and a second placing. He won the four starter EI 110 Open class with Virginia Maguire’s home-bred Thoroughbred gelding, ‘Handsome Starr’, whom Steven has been eventing with great success for the past seven years. The addition of cross-country time penalties for the early leader, Nicola Ennis and the Hazeldene winner, ‘Corbally Mountain View’, meant they had to settle for the runner-up spot on this occasion.
There were 16 entries in the EI 110 class, where Steven Smith claimed his second victory, this time with Karen McKee’s six-year-old ‘Ramiro B’ gelding, ‘Carrickview Calvani’, who were runners-up last time out at Tullymurry 2. A delighted Anita Doherty came in just over three points adrift with ‘Goldiva’, Julie McClelland’s eight-year-old mare by ‘Major Gold’, who has now competed at three Home Internationals.
Amy Ennis Crosbie from Co Meath, but currently on work experience with the Smith Brothers, took the honours in the EI 110 J class with her mother, Suzanne Ennis’s Thoroughbred gelding, ‘Herobrine’, with whom she has just partnered this season and has already clocked up three wins. The first phase leaders, Tom Nestor and ‘Coolafancy’, dropped down one place following the lowering of three coloured poles.
The competition in the EI 110 Amateur class continues to be intense, with credit this week, going to the traybake extraordinaire, Nichola Wray and ‘Dylan’, who were separated from their nearest rivals, Brit Megahey and ‘R Showman’, by the narrowest of margins, 0.1.
Alison Smith is, undoubtedly, deriving great pleasure from seeing her ‘Creevagh Grey Rebel’ gelding, ‘Bluestone Ice’, performing so well and enjoying his sport, under the tutelage of Lucy Toombs, who has been adding some great results to an already impressive record. This included a win in the EI 100 Amateur class on Saturday.
Ros Morgan maintained her second position from the start on her 11-year-old ‘VOS’-sired gelding, ‘Vos Surprise’.
The Nestor family from Co Meath had a very successful trip, with Claire going one better than her brother, Tom, by taking the win in the EI 100 P class on board ‘Freddie’, who added just four show jumping faults to his flatwork mark to give them an eight-point margin over Banbridge girl, Tilley Tumilty and her Connemara pony, ‘Millbarr Phynix’, who have enjoyed tremendous success in the two years since they started eventing.
Caitlin Woods enjoyed back to back victories in the EI 100 J class with ‘Greygrove Delight’, her father’s five-year-old gelding by ‘Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan’. They led from the outset and finished one-point clear of Anna McErlean and ‘Kilmanahan Cool Star’, who kept both jumping phases clear to finish on her Lucinda Webb-Graham awarded score of 31.3.
Almost 20 riders contested the EI 100 class, where Alex Houston proved that she meant business from the outset, with a pillar to post win on ‘My Atlantic Encore’, a ‘Centrestage’ mare bred by her father, Sam Houston. Steven Smith occupied the runner-up spot, five points adrift, with ‘Annaghmore Cornoko’, owned by Campbell McLean and winner of the class at Tullymurry 1.
The most heavily subscribed class of the day was the EI 90, where Kate Gibbons from Ballinasloe took centre stage with ‘Bonitas Influence’, a six-year-old mare by the Thoroughbred stallion, ‘Hit the Diff’, whom Katie was riding for the first time, having taken over from her brother, Godfrey. Ian McCluggage took second place with ‘Meadowbank’, an eight-year-old gelding owned by Lindsay Martin and bred by her mother, Jan. They also finished on their dressage score awarded by Joanne Jarden.
There was a smaller than normal entry in the EI 90 Amateur class, but that was not reflected in the competitiveness, where Claire Liddle returned to full competition mode with her Irish Draught mare, ‘Ballytrim Molly’, who stormed around the cross-country track inside the time to maintain her opening score. Katie McKee and ‘Water Paint’ replicated their performance at Hazeldene by occupying the runner-up spot.
Kelsea Maginnis, who was a trojan worker at Hazeldene in the run up to their event last week, was duly rewarded with a well-deserved win in the EI 90 P class with ‘Atlantic Clover Star’, with whom she has just been eventing this season. Blathnaid O’Connell came in just under five points adrift with ‘Finnkilly Blackie’, owned by Jennifer Corrigan.
Ian McCluggage picked up his second rosette of the day in the EI 80 class, where he took the win, riding Lindsay Martin’s ‘Meadowspring’. This victory represented a trio of successive wins for this partnership, who completed on the Vanda Stewart mark of 25. This was also the case for Robyn Rice and ‘My Isabella’, who moved up five places from dressage.
Sincere thanks to Blue Frog/Boyd Bedding, Balloo Hire, Fane Valley, JF Irvine Sawmills and Bluegrass Feeds for their generous sponsorship of prizes.
As ever, organisers send a most sincere thank you to all the volunteers, who braved the elements during parts of the day to carry out their duties with the usual dignified aplomb.
The winners of the volunteer prizes this week are:
£200 sponsored by Kim Constable – Kenneth Bogle
£50 sponsored by Kim Constable – Bronagh Stevenson
Burren Balsamic giftbag sponsored by Susi Hamilton-Stubber – Raymond Cullen
Bottle of wine – Jenny Richardson
Bottle of wine – Donald Morgan
In addition, a raffle was organised, with all proceeds going to the Raymond Bready and Adrienne Stuart aeroplane jump in aid of Air Ambulance. An amazing £1087.50 was raised.
Thank you to Susi Hamilton Stubber for the amazing hamper, which was won by Heather McMillan.
In conclusion, the valediction is an incredible thank you to James, Alison, Thomas, Angus, Toby and Poppy for augmenting the Northern Region calendar with an incredibly exciting venue, with immense scope for further development.
RESULTS
Saturday, August 3
Ash Hollow
EI 110 Open:
1) Steven Smith, Handsome Starr; 2) Nicola Ennis, Corbally Mountain View; 3) Ralph Robinson, Dermish Chill; 4) Casey Webb, Ballygreenan Break Point.
EI 110:
1) Steven Smith, Carrickview Calvani; 2) Anita Doherty, Goldiva; 3) Amanda Goldsbury, Baby Guinness BW; 4) Steven Smith, Newferry Aga Kann; 5) Janie Cairns, Zambia Touch; 6) Rebekah McKinstry, HVL Jack Pot.
EI 110 J:
1) Amy Ennis Crosbie, Herobrine; 2) Tom Nestor, Coolafancy; 3) Emily Brooks, Ardagh Mayday; 4) Katie Gibbons, Milchem Watermill.
EI 110 P:
1) Rory Connaughton, Independent Johnny.
EI 110 Amateur:
1) Nichola Wray, Dylan; 2) Britt Megahey, R Showman; 3) Denis Coakley, Shannondale George.
EI 100 Amateur:
1) Lucy Toombs, Bluestone Ice; 2) Ros Morgan, VOS Surprise; 3) Philip Swann, Tignabruaich; 4) Ann Bowe, Festy Breeze; 5) Chirag Sherawat, Lates Capri; 6) Jemma Kendellen, Quidams Clover.
EI 100 P:
1) Claire Nestor, Freddie; 2) Tilley Tumilty, Millbarr Phynix; 3) Alice Curley, Jenny’s Midnight Lad; 4) Eve Lindsay, Arctic Light.
EI 100 J:
1) Caitlin Woods, Greygrove Delight; 2) Anna McErlean, Kilmanahan Cool Star; 3) Katie Robinson, Ophelia Cruise; 4) Hannah Groves, The Kings Ransom; 5) Gracie Thompson-Logan, Lisnamuck What A Cracker; 6) Eimhear Donaghy, TMS Freedom.
EI 100:
1) Alex Houston, My Atlantic Encore; 2) Steven Smith, Annaghmore Cornoko; 3) Holly Wray, Conor; 4) Lois Thompson, Coastal Pride; 5) Lucca Stubington, Roundthorn Minerva; 6) Casey webb, Newferry Number One.
EI 100 T:
1) Lucca Stubington, Glencarne; 2) Jonathan Steele, Bertie; 3) Donnacha Anhold, Rushfield Houdini; 4) Jonathan Hagan, Bubblegum.
EI 90 Amateur:
1) Claire Liddle, Ballytrim Molly; 2) Katie McKee, Water Paint; 3) Beth Hayes, Largymore Lass; 4) Louise Duffy, Al Boum Photo; 5) Amy Salmon, Clonaslee Captain Hawk Wing; 6) Fiona McKenna, Little Lexi Lady.
EI 90:
1) Katie Gibbons, Bonitas Influence; 2) Ian McCluggage, Meadowbank; 3) Elaine O’Connor, Tullymurry Masha; 4) Ruby Proctor, Happy Bo Lucky; 5) Jonathan Steele, Bessie Blue; 6) Erin Mathieson, DG Cool Dawn.
EI 90 P:
1) Kelsea Maginnis, Atlantic Clover Star; 2) Blathnaid O’Connell, Finnkilly Blackie; 3) Emily Black, Donn Boy; 4) Gracie Thompson-Logan, Fiddain Dash; 5) Ella Watters, Shadows Golden Boy; 6) Katie Gibbons, Killadoon Lady.
EI 90 T:
1) Neil Morrison, George; 2) Kate Corrigan, Frank; 3) Kate Horgan, Highview Shakespeare; 4) Kerry McTeggart, Cassai RG; 5) Stewart Beattie, Diamond Milly; 6) Amanda Goldsbury, Cooley Two.
EI 80:
1) Ian McCluggage, Meadowspring; 2) Robyn Rice, My Isabella; 3) Alice Black, Curreels Shadow; 4) Zach Watson, Toberpatrick Gentle Dove; 5) Jonathan West, Monmurry Soverign; 6) Anne Davis, AJ Lightening Cavalier.
EI 80 T:
1) Sofie Halcrow, Clonminch Sally; 2) Caroline Chambers, Whitehorn Lane; 3) Katie Clarke, Sue; 4) George Newton, Simply Radical.