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There are just no words powerful enough to articulate the esteem in which Northern Region hold Marian Turley, David and Elaine O’Connor and the whole team associated with Tullymurry. They pulled out all stops at very short notice to put together a replacement event, following the cancellation of Loughanmore.
That effort was patently clear for all to see on Saturday and even Storm Betty was unable to break their resolve, although she tried extremely hard. After a very rough night, with monsoon conditions extending into the early morning, it all looked like an impossible task. However, out came the sunshine accompanied by a moderate wind, which had an amazing remedial effect on the ground conditions and allowed the event to run.
There were many very happy eventers exiting the Ballydugan Road, Downpatrick, having got their additional qualification and, those who didn’t, were simply happy to have had the opportunity of a run.
It was a good day at the office for Steven Smith, who took the top two placings in the EI 110 Open class. He took the win with Caryn Walker’s ‘Newferry Jagermeister’, a 12-year-old home bred gelding by ‘Lougherne Cashell’, which led from the outset and finished on a dressage score of 20.5. Susan O’Shea’s ‘Tullaher Paudie’ finished in second place - a six-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by ‘Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan’, who has been in the top three placings on the last four outings.
Steven also picked up the top spot in the EI 110 class, this time with Symone Brown’s ‘Premier Lara’, a six-year-old mare by ‘Jackaroo’, who finished three points clear of Jonathan Steele and ‘Kinetic Blue’, who won the class at the first of the three Tullymurry events.
Molly O’Connor, fresh from her bronze medal debut at the Pony European Championships, continued her winning ways by claiming victory in the EI 110 J class on Sarah Hughes’s ‘Alcatraz’. The combination led from the outset on just their fourth outing, adding just a few cross-country time penalties to their first phase score to give them a 5.4 margin over Erin McClernon and ‘Seapatrick Beachball’, another partnership shaping up very nicely this season.
Although Nichola Wray had no competition in the EI 110 Amateur class, she did not take anything for granted and delivered a lovely dressage test, kept all fences standing in the show jumping and just added a few time faults to her cross-country performance to give her a well deserved MER.
Casey Webb gave a great account of herself in the EI 100 class of 24, where she finished centre stage with the Sean Moher bred mare, ‘Nelgara Lucy Locket’, out of Diane Harron-Eakin’s ‘Ringfort Rara Ruby’. They kept all jumping phases clear and finished on the Coreen Abernethy awarded mark of 27.5, just 1.3 penalties ahead of stable mate, ‘Newferry Aga Kann’, ridden by Steven Smith and owned by Herbie Walker. This seven-year-old gelding placed third on his last out at Tullymurry 2.
17-year-old Ciara O’Neill from Gorey, Co Wexford, rose to the top of the leaderboard in the EI 100J class with ‘Oxview Jasper’, her mother’s seven-year-old grey gelding by the Connemara stallion, ‘Tempo Active Atlas’. They lowered one coloured pole, but delivered a foot-perfect round cross-country to give her a 3.3 advantage over second placed County Meath student, Isabella Gogan and ‘Ardeo Copperton Kryptonite’.
Maya Constable, who has been having a fabulous season with Kim Constable’s beautiful pony, ‘Duncarbery Cascade’, took the early lead in the EI 100P class with a dressage score of 26.8. Unfortunately, one fence down in show jumping meant she had to concede the win to sixteen year old County Kildare student, Hannah Groves and ‘Thoroughly Miss Millie’, who finished on their first phase mark of 29.
An absolutely delighted Niamh Martin from Dublin collected her winning rosette in the EI 100 Amateur class with ‘Lady Bell’, where Aaron McCusker’s show jumping track certainly proved influential. They had a three point margin over Christina Turley, who delivered the only clear show jumping round of the class with ‘Ann’s Bob’.
Michael McNally from Clonmahon House had three horses in two training classes and he won both. He took the 100 class with ‘Waverley’, an eight-year-old mare owned by Janet Collins, where they excelled across all three phases to finish 2.5 points ahead of Maria Carr and ‘Texan Style’, the beautifully striking skewbald gelding normally campaigned by Tegan White-McMorrow and which also finished on its dressage score.
In the 90 Training class of 15, Michael won with the Thoroughbred, ‘Port Sunshine’, which, again, led from the outset and finished two points clear of Rhiannon Burton and ‘Candyland’, a four-year-old mare by ‘Sligo Candy Boy’, who were enjoying their maiden outing under EI rules.
There were 19 starters in the EI 90 class, where Sadie McMahon shone brightly with ‘Creevagh Hillfiger’ on their very first Eventing experience. They moved up two places from dressage to add this victory to a well deserved third place in the 110 Junior/Young Rider Future Event Horse class at the RDS the previous week. Gemma Esler occupied the runner up position with Norma Wilkinson’s six-year-old ‘Ramiro B’ mare, ‘Remember Bea’, which was making its first appearance this year.
One of the brightest rising young talents in the Northern Region is the 13-year-old granddaughter of Tullymurry landowner, Marian Turley. Emily Turley has Eventing in her DNA and it clearly shows. Her determination but casual approach is the envy of many of her senior colleagues and she uses it to great effect. She stormed to victory, having just moved up to EI 90, on board ‘Budore Mystic Legend’ to finish on her first phase mark, over 17 points ahead of her nearest rival, Rachel Fletcher on ‘Peninsula Clover’, Helen Fletcher’s mare by ‘Corlough Clover'.
Heather Champion was the leader with ‘Drumcara Red’ in the EI 90 Amateur class going into cross-country where, unfortunately, they picked up 20 penalties. This left the pathway to success clear for Johanna Herron who, therefore, enjoyed a hat trick of consecutive wins with her 10-year-old mare, ‘Twentypark Emperess’. Sophie Cowan, maintained her second position post dressage with her lovely grey mare, ‘Tempo Quickstep’.
Continuing this year’s trend, there was a very heavily subscribed EI 80 Q class, where 14-year-old Drumbo girl, Zara Reid, beat off stiff opposition on ‘Greylands Diamond Girl’. They finished on their dressage score, having moved up two places from the first phase with a margin of 2.3 over second placed Eve Lindsay on ‘The Highwayman’, an eight-year-old gelding bred and owned by Kim Phelan.
Another delighted competitor was debutante, Una McIlmail, who had a runaway victory in the EI 80 Training class with Karen McCrissican’s Connemara Pony, ‘Lusmagh Anthem’. They gave a great account of themselves, leading all the way and finishing with the Genny Belton awarded score of 24.3, a massive advantage of 24.8 over second placed Caitlin Brown and ‘Rua Rebel’, who was another newcomer to the eventing scene.
A HUGE thank you goes to everyone at Tullymurry, led by Marian, for their commitment, dedication and investment in the sport. Their ability to harness so much goodwill for the use of others is simply legendary and their agreement to provide an event at very short notice is much appreciated by everyone.
As always, the merry band of helpers from right across the island of Ireland, answered the rally call and provided the professionalism across all three phases for which the region is renowned - organisers really could not manage without them and their contribution does not go unnoticed.
The Northern Region Committee were also out in force helping as Stewards, TAs, Control, Call Up, Starters, Fence Judges etc - that’s what epitomises Teamwork and allows the sport to function.
This coming Saturday, the Northern Region moves to Vesey Lodge, courtesy of Ian and Alison Wilson, and looks forward to another successful outing.
RESULTS
Saturday, August 19
EI 110 Open:
1) Steven Smith, Newferry Jagermeister; 2) Steven Smith, Tullaher Paudie.
EI 110:
1) Steven Smith, Premier Lara; 2) Jonathan Steele, Kinetic Blue; 3) Darragh Hanlon, Omaybe; 4) Neil Morrison, Fire and Fury; 5) Emily Corbett, Tyrella Carsonstown; 6) Rosie Alcorn, Goodwins Whoopie.
EI 110 J:
1) Molly O’Connor, Alcatraz; 2) Erin McClernon, Seapatrick Beachball; 3) Lucy McDowell, Glenvine Codename R; 4) Alex O’Hare, Jerona HBC; 5) Jack O’Haire, My Bright Spark; 6) Isabella Gogan, Aughabeg Dew.
EI 110 Amateur:
1) Nichola Wray, Dylan AKA Springhill Showman.
EI 100:
1) Casey Webb, Nelgara Lucy Locket; 2) Steven Smith, Newferry Aga Hann; 3) Katie McKee, Summit; 4) Sarah Sproule, Ballyneety Cavalier Imp; 5) Elaine O’Connor, Tullymurry Grace; 6) David O’Connor, Tullymurry Vegas.
EI 100 J:
1) Ciara O’Neill, Oxview Jasper; 2) Isabella Gogan, Ardeo Copperton Kryptonite; 3) Lucie Glynn, Charing Cross.
EI 100 P:
1) Hannah Groves, Thoroughly Miss Millie; 2) Maya Constable, Duncarberry Cascade; 3) Sam Hamilton, Cahanagh Black Flyer; 4) Robyn Rice, Holiday Kruising.
EI 100 Amateur:
1) Niamh Martin, Lady Bell; 2) Christina Turley, Ann’s Bob; 3) Ciarrai Rice, Lady J; 4) Olivia Johns, Lagans Peter; 5) Dalton Ashfield, ASH Chester.
EI 100 T:
1) Michael McNally, Waverley; 2) Maria Carr, Texan Style; 3) Zara Sharvin, Sergeant Kiki; 4) Aimee Webb, Imperial Matriarch; 5) Wendy Anderson, Elusive Clover; 6) Jonathan Steele, Georgie.
EI 90:
1) Sadie McMahon, Creevagh Hillfiger; 2) Gemma Esler, Remember Bea; 3) Craig Hills, High Hopes Tuxita; 4) Anna Morrow, Patsy Fagan; 5) Sam Forbes, Beau; 6) Catherine Cowan, Lady Remarque.
EI 90 P:
1) Emily Turley, Budore Mystic Legend; 2) Rachel Fletcher, Peninsula Clover; 3) Mya McMullan, Edenmore Apache; 4) Emily Black, Donn Boy; 5) Katie Forbes, Doctor Pepper.
EI 90 Amateur:
1) Johanna Herron, Twentypark Emperess; 2) Sophie Cowan, Tempo Quickstep; 3) Margery Warnock, Butterfly Charm; 4) Kate Latimer, Ardnaglass Choco; 5) Pauline Blair, Charley Brown; 6) Heather Champion, Drumcara Red.
EI 90 T:
1) Michael McNally, Port Sunshine; 2) Rhiannon Burton, Candyland; 3) Michael McNally, Hufflepuff; 4) Ian McCluggage, I’m All You Want; 5) Jonathan Hagan, Richhill; 6) Claire Killen, Dunluce Aoife.
EI 80 Q:
1) Zara Reid, Greylands Diamond Girl; 2) Eve Lindsay, The Highwayman; 3) Leanne Connell, The Dancing Cat; 4) Siofra Mason, Consequencial; 5) Holly Rice, Supreme Dream; 6) Lauren Madine, Esker Hill Spiddal.
EI 80 T:
1) Una McIlmail, Lusmagh Anthem; 2) Caitlin Brown, Rua Rebell; 3) Tegan White-McMorrow, Peregrine Point; 4) Tegan White-McMorrow, Roz Royale; 5) Barbara Johns, Drumhowan Darlin Jazz; 6) Mabel Windram, Templerainey Sioux.