Busy day at Tyrella Two-Phase
Good ground conditions at the unique venue, despite recent rainfall
All roads led to Tyrella on Saturday for the Two-Phase Event run by Eventing Ireland’s Northern Region. It is true testimony to the uniqueness of Tyrella that the event was able to run with good ground conditions, despite the amount of rain that had fallen over the past weeks and months. The rain did put in an appearance mid-morning but, thankfully, cleared before the start of the 80cm classes.
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There were a fair number of problems both with Aaron McCusker’s show jumping tracks, where the rule of two refusals incurring elimination were applied, as well as on Adam Stevenson’s cross-country courses, where competitors started off in the sand dunes and progressed across the breadth of the domain at a good gallop.
The 1m class was divided according to speed, with the first section confined to competitors who wished to pitch themselves at Eventing Ireland’s Novice speed, while the second class was run at Pre-Novice speed.
Event 1 saw the top two competitors, out of a class of almost 40, finish on a zero score and inside the time. Finishing just two seconds adrift of the optimum time and taking first place was Holly Ross riding ‘Ech Feirin’, the 13-year-old Connemara mare, owned by Anna Moore. This combination has been competing under Eventing Ireland rules for the past two years and, judging by this performance, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the season ahead.
Second place went to Anna McCaldin on ‘Omaybe’, a 12-year-old mare owned by her cousin, William Mackie. Anna was delighted with May’s performance, as she looks forward with anticipation to another action-packed and successful year.
Meantime, seven of the 25 competitors finished on a clean slate and inside the time in the second 1m class, where Eimhear Donaghy was a very popular winner with ‘TMS Freedom’, coming through the finish markers straight on the optimum time. This six-year-old mare, bred by Tanya Smith, was sired by ‘Je T’Aime Flamenco’. 15-year-old Banbridge girl, Robyn Rice, romped home just one second inside the time with her mother’s Connemara mare, ‘Holiday Kruising’, with whom she evented a complete season in 2023.
There was a huge entry of over 50 in the Senior 90cm class, where Kat Butler-Ward guided her eight-year-old ‘Libertarian’ mare, ‘Stylebender’, to a fantastic victory in a class where show jumping proved very influential. They were followed by Katie McKee and ‘Mia’ (‘Elusive Clover’), a six-year-old mare owned by Wendy Anderson. This combination had a very successful season at the Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing, where they picked up a number of top three dressage placings in the course of the League.
26 competitors took on the Junior 90cm class, where 14-year-old Isabella Irwin from Lisburn beat off stiff competition to take the win on a new mount, Molly XX. Her 13-year-old sister, Amelia took third place in the same class with the very accomplished ‘Moyans Dun Deal’. Separating the two sisters and taking second place was North Down Pony Club member, Alice Salters, with ‘Wilderwood Storm’. ‘Storm’ is 20 and is on loan from Wilderwood Sport Horses and Ponies. ‘Storm’ had been out of competition for a few years and Alice has spent the past year building his fitness back up, guided by Leah Knight, as she plans to event him this year.
Alex Greer proved that last year’s win in the Senior 80cm class was no flash in the pan, as she repeated the performance again this year, in another strong class of 40 with Phoenix Spark. This combination has competed at various EI events over the years and have been consistently in top placings at unaffiliated events. Second place went to Jonathan West and ‘Sovereign’, no stranger in Eventing circles, less than one penalty point behind.
14-year-old Ardglass girl, Mya McMullan, certainly had plenty to celebrate when she won the Junior 80cm class with ‘Edenmore Apache’, a super little 14-year-old skewbald gelding, with whom she came sixth in the EI National Championships last September. Holly Rice added yet another rosette to her haul when she finished joint runner-up with ‘Supreme Dream’, her mother’s eight-year-old mare, which won the prize for the highest placed Thoroughbred in the Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing. Sharing the runner-up spot was 14-year-old Una McIlmail from Downpatrick riding ‘Thunder’.
Eventing Ireland is deeply indebted to the Corbett family for the use of these excellent facilities at Tyrella, which allowed the Event to run even with the recent heavy rain. Many thanks too, to Course Designer, Adam Stevenson and to Stuart Stirling, Technical Delegate, Richard Nesbitt and Barbara Dixon, as stewards, who did a remarkable job of ensuring that the whole cross-country element ran flawlessly. Catherine McDowell took no prisoners at the start of cross-country, keeping a steady flow progressing through to the start box, where they were counted down by the very professional duo of Desi and Eunice Graham.
Congratulations to Paul Nolan, who kept a very informative commentary running for almost seven hours. Chief Controller, Vickie White was assisted by Emma White, Ann Cully and Georgia Stubington, while Corey Mawhinney was responsible for the finish times. The excellent show jumping courses were designed and built by Aaron McCusker. Fiona` McCurdy and Sharon Cullen judged the show jumping, while Mags Oleszek, in her very professional manner, ensured that there was never a lull in proceedings. Her daughter, Olivia, was also on hand to help with slip collection and catering, as well as other ad hoc duties.
Ronnie Beggs, Richard McCracken and David Lowry epitomised dedication to duty throughout a very long day of scoring.
Thanks, as always, to all the Fence Judges, who did sterling work throughout the long day and to Dawn Carlisle, whose hospitality was first class.
Photographs on the day were taken by Sporting Images and these can be viewed on their website: www.sportingimagesni.co.uk.
Donal O’Bearne of Hoofprints was exceptionally useful, as he checked and tagged hats in the course of the day, as well as kitting out riders with their new body protectors.
There was a draw amongst the volunteers for a CosiRider coat, very kindly provided by Cosimac and this was won by Shauna Lee McCann, while Lesa Rodgers won a bottle of wine.
Orgainsers very much look forward to welcoming a ‘full house’ of competitors on Saturday, March 23 for Tyrella 1. If you are free and willing to help, please contact Dora on 07876 758979.
RESULTS
Saturday, March 9
Two-Phase Event
Event 1 – Senior 1m – Speed 520mpm:
1) Holly Ross, Ech Feirin; 2) Anna McCaldin, May; 3) David O’Connor, Cooley; =4) Andrew Napier, Elsa; Rachel Williams, Tignabruich; 6) Sarah Gilchrist, Mighty Max.
Event 2 – Senior 1m – Speed 475 mpm:
1) Eimhear Donaghy, TMS Freedom; 2) Robyn Rice, Holiday Kruising; 3) Caryn Walker, Ellie; 4) Maeve Fleming, Kiltiernan Kitty; 5) Jenna Morton, Estella Great Expectations; 6) Soul-Be Courtney, The Dark Knight Rises.
Event 3 – Senior 85/90cm:
1) Kat Butler-Ward, Stylebender; 2) Katie McKee, Mia; 3) Kaiti McCann, Cookie; 4) Beth Hayes, Susie; 5) Emma Thompson, Mauras Way; 6) Jonny Steele, Bessy.
Event 4 – Junior 85/90cm:
1) Isabella Irwin, Molly XX; 2) Alice Salters, Wilderwood Storm; 3) Amelia Irwin, Moyans Dun Deal; 4) Poppy Duff, Kiltiernan Pride; 5) Katie Flanagan, Million Dollar Bash; 6) Zara Reid, Greylands Diamond Girl.
Event 5– Senior 75/80cm:
1) Alex Greer, Phoenix Spark; 2) Jonathan West, Sovereign; 3) Sharon Madine, Lear Lady; 4) Michelle McConnell, Inisbri Dawn Chorus; 5) Karina McVeigh, Cococabana; 6) Claire Ireland, Technicolour Dream.
Event 6 – Junior 75/80cm:
1) Mya McMullan, Edenmore Apache; =2) Holly Rice, Supreme Dream; Una McIlmail, Thunder; 4) Molly Marner, Rossfad Runaway; 5) Sophia Madeley, Missy; 6) Charlie Watson, Leamore Girl.