International flavour at Hazeldene
Beautifully presented courses, with an atmosphere to rival many big UK events
WOW, WOW, WOW… what a day! That was the general consensus about the latest Northern Region event held at Hazeldene on Sunday.
Arranged in just six days after a cancellation at Scarteen, the dynamic duo of Andrew and Laura Napier, assisted by their families, swung into overdrive mode and created a miracle!
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Andrew designed five amazing courses, which were beautifully presented and decorated with the results of his new found hobby of chainsaw carving. There was a huge crocodile lurking at the edge of the first of the two water jumps, while rabbits, hares, bears and many other literary characters added intrigue and interest to the courses.
They had expanded the whole area around this water to include the hub of activity with the Secretary, Scorers, Hungry Ginger, Bunelos and Crooked Cocktails, all located there with numerous picnic benches etc. The atmosphere rivalled many of the big UK events and attracted an unprecedented number of spectators, who were able to sap up the ambience on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
Sadly, the number of entries was affected by the late ‘call up’, but those who attended were registered amongst the lucky to have experienced this incredible feast of eventing.
Casey Webb did not have any competition in the Open EI 115 class, where she competed with Steven Smith and John Minford’s HHF Elegance, a 13-year-old mare by the Thoroughbred stallion ‘Watermill Swatch’, gaining an all-important MER.
Four riders battled it out for supremacy in the EI 115 class, where Suzanne Hagan took home the honours with ‘Karolita O’, a nine-year-old mare owned by Anne Magee and Jane Hancock, sired by ‘Firestone’. This was the combination’s fourth win out of the last five outings, the fifth being a second place at Tyrella 4. Jim Newsam came in behind on Carole Hawthorne’s ‘Tullybee Louie’ who, like the winner, just added cross-country time penalties to their first-phase score.
The EI 110 Open class of five was won by Steven Smith with Virginia Maguire’s home-bred Thoroughbred gelding, ‘Handsome Starr’, who had a 15-point advantage over second placed Alex Houston on her 14-year-old mare, ‘Minty Imp’.
The Gilford-based Smith Brothers Eventing, claimed another top placing in the EI 110 class, where Senior rider, Casey Webb, rose to the fore with ‘Ballygreenan Break Point’, having climbed four places from dressage following the retirement cross-country of the early leader, Alex Houston, riding ‘My Atlantic Encore’ and the fall of Clare Abbott with 'Kilcoltrim Cooley’ at the first part of fence seven. ‘Ballygreenan Break Point’ is an eight-year-old mare by the American Thoroughbred stallion, ‘Pointilliste’, and is owned and bred by Valerie Breen. The mare finished over eight points clear of stable mate, ‘Greenhall Gold Dust’, Gail McNabb’s six-year-old gelding by ‘Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet’, which was ridden by Steven Smith.
Kitty Cullen had the only completion score in the EI 110J class with her father’s striking buckskin coloured Trakehner gelding, ‘Grand Marnier’.
Kim Constable, sponsor of the weekly Volunteer Cash Prizes, picked her first red rosette at this level in the EI 110 Amateur class, with ‘Urneypark Big Cat’. She moved up one place after the first-phase, when the early leader, Katie McKee, picked up an unfortunate 20 penalties cross-country. Second place was taken by Britt Megahey on ‘R Showman’, who was still jubilant after his win two weeks ago at Lisgarvan.
Ciarrai Rice, no stranger to success, added another win to her impressive record on ‘Lady J’, her eight-year-old mare by the Irish Sport Horse, ‘Hallo Picasso’. They led from start to finish with an impressive dressage score of 23.8 to have almost a 12-point advantage over a delighted second placed, Ros Morgan and ‘VOS Surprise’, who have been thoroughly enjoying the Northern Region events since their relocation from England last year.
The second win of the day for the Constable family went to 14-year-old Maya, who was double-handed in the EI 100 P class. She took the win with ‘Rockon Pedro’, her mother’s 14-year-old grey gelding by the Connemara stallion, ‘Newtown Pedro’, replicating their performance at Tyrella 4. Emma Stewart slotted into second place with the Connemara Pony, ‘Loughnageer Prince’, with whom she has been competing since Tyrella last year.
There are a number of mothers and daughters, who are currently competing in the Northern Region. One of those is the Herron duo of Johanna and her daughter Rosey. Rosey won the EI 100 J class on ‘Solitaire Rusty Brown’, a combination that won the Patsy Boal Memorial Trophy at the Annual Awards Ball last year. They finished marginally ahead of Molly O’Connor riding Sarah Hughes’s Dutch-bred gelding, ‘Alcatraz’, who are now Millstreet bound this week.
20-year-old Crossgar rider, Sam Forbes, certainly had a day to remember by claiming two victories. He had a runaway victory in the EI 100 with ‘RC Charlie’, his mother’s 11-year-old gelding, with whom he secured Martina McKinley’s top mark of 23.8, which was his completion score. ‘Our Pollyanna’ took second place, ridden by Casey Webb, also finishing on their dressage score. This eight-year-old mare, by ‘Yeats’, is owned and bred by David Mitchell.
Lucinda Webb-Graham reserved her top marks in the EI 90 Amateur class for Katie McKee riding ‘Elusive Clover’, owned by Wendy Anderson, and sired by ‘Elusive Emir’. This six-year-old mare has shown consistent good form since Katie took over the ride earlier this year, following Wendy’s temporary relocation to Scotland. Johanna Herron took second place just marginally behind, having kept both jumping phases clear and just adding time faults across the country.
Sam Forbes was back, centre stage, in the EI 90 class of 17. He moved up from second place, when Elaine O’Connor, who was leading, decided to retire with ‘Kilcolman Curlew’, following a few issues cross-country. Sam added nothing to his first phase score with ‘DCS Millhouse Platinum’, followed 5.5 points adrift by Holly Wray and ‘R Diva’, Helen Anderson’s ‘Tolan R’ gelding, who occupied the same position at Tyrella 4.
There was also great jubilation in the MacNabb household in Downpatrick, following 14-year-old Ellen’s victory in the EI 90P class with ‘Bonecastle Lass’, with whom she has never been out of the top five in their last five outings. They stole a march, fractionally, over Zara Reid with the very accomplished ‘Greylands Diamond Girl’, who have developed a very impressive string of results since the beginning of the March 2023 season.
Without a doubt, THE most excited family at Hazeldene were the Watsons from Dromore, who had incredible success in the EI 80 in very good company, in a class of 20. Charlie, who will be 12 in August, meant business from the outset with her Connemara Pony, ‘Leamore Girl’, owned by her grandfather, Mervyn Gibson. She stormed to victory, finishing on her flatwork mark, almost eight points clear of Katie McKee and ‘Darkies Boy’, Ros Murphy’s 12-year-old gelding by ‘Rocklands Prince’, who also added nothing to their dressage score.
Charlie’s brother, 13-year-old Zach, took third place with ‘Toberpatrick Gentle Dove’ on his very first outing under Eventing Ireland rules. It was immensely pleasing for the organisers to see so many riders out competing for the first time and, very evidently, enjoying the experience.
Northern Region is extremely grateful to Andrew and Laura Napier for rearranging their existing calendar to enable this event to run.
Organisers are also extremely grateful to all the volunteers, many of whom also changed their plans to ensure availability. It is that dedication on everyone’s part that makes the Northern Region very special.
Organisers are so glad that Kim Constable’s sponsorship of the Volunteer prizes means very justifiable recognition of the very valuable role they play in the sport.
This week’s winners were:
£200 – Shirley Chambers
£50 – Ann Cully
Wine - Joanna Cowan
Beauty Products - Lisa Tumilty
The Northern Region wish all its members, who are competing at Millstreet International, the very best of GOOD LUCK.
We must also take a moment to think of Jesse Campbell and the extended family and friends, as well as the whole eventing community, on the very sad and untimely death of Georgie while competing at Bicton. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this very sad time.
RESULTS
Sunday, May 26
Northern Region event at Hazeldene
EI 115 Open:
1) Casey Webb, HHF Elegance.
EI 115:
1) Suzanne Hagan, Karolita O; 2) Jim Newsam, Tullybee Louie; 3) Steven Smith, Premier Lara.
EI 110 Open:
1) Steven Smith, Handsome Starr; 2) Alex Houston, Minty Imp; 3) Katherine O’Hare, Keonan Hero; 4) Jim Newsam, Tullybee Renegade.
EI 110:
1) Casey Webb, Ballygreenan Break Point; 2) Steven Smith, Greenhall Gold Dust; 3) Casey Webb, Nelgara Lucy Locket; 4) Tom Rowlatt-McCormick, Mon Ami Beauvallet; 5) Steven Smith, Newferry Aga Kann; 6) Rachel Finnegan, Image.
EI 110 J:
1) Kitty Cullen, Grand Marnier.
EI 110 Amateur:
1) Kim Constable, Urneypark Big Cat; 2) Britt Megahey, R Showman; 3) Katie McKee, Summit.
EI 100 Amateur:
1) Ciarrai Rice, Lady J; 2) Ros Morgan, Vos Surprise; 3) Sarah Kelly-Drake, Wilhelmina Q; 4) Cathy Campbell, Daring Do; 5) Heather McMillan, Rock Carnival; 6) Jaclyn Brackenridge, Comanche Arrow.
EI 100P:
1) Maya Constable, Rockon Pedro; 2) Emma Stewart, Loughnageer Prince; 3) Sarah Gilchrist, Hazeldene Mighty Max; 4) Robyn Dempsey, Avalon Inis Sle; 5) Kitty Cullen, Greenaun Russel.
EI 100 J:
1) Rosey Herron, Solitaire Rusty Brown; 2) Molly O’Connor, Alcatraz; 3) Eimhear Donaghy, TMS Freedom; 4) Gracie Thompson-Logan, Lisnamuck What A Cracker; 5) Soul-be Courtney, The Dark Knight Rises; 6) Aoife Gribben, Wildfire.
EI 100:
1) Sam Forbes, RC Charlie; 2) Casey Webb, Our Pollyanna; 3) Casey Webb, Newferry Number One; 4) Craig Hills, Squeak’s Bubble; 5) Ellen Douglas, Rock Impulse; 6) Neil Morrison, Fire and Fury.
EI 90 Amateur:
1) Katie McKee, Elusive Clover; 2) Johanna Herron, Twentypark Emperess; 3) Katie McKee, Water Paint; 4) Beth Hayes, Largymore Lass; 5) Bernadette Muirhead, Out Of The Blue; 6) Siofra Mason, Consequencial.
EI 90:
1) Sam Forbes, DCS Millhouse Platinum; 2) Holly Wray, R Diva; 3) David O’Connor, Tullymurry Masha; 4) Michael McGaffin, Burrenhill Mus; 5) Craig Hills, High Hopes Tuxita; 6) Alice Salters, Wilderwood Silvaroo.
EI 90 P:
1) Ellen MacNabb, Bonecastle Lass; 2) Zara Red, Greylands Diamond Girl; 3) Mya McMullan, Edenmore Apache; 4) Oliver Kinnear, Rosedale Sandstorm; 5) Poppy Duff, Kiltiernasn Pride; 6) Abbie Harkness, Melody Sunrise.
EI 80:
1) Charlie Watson, Leamore Girl; 2) Katie McKee, Darkies Boy; 3) Zach Watson, Toberpatrick Gentle Dove; 4) Emma Plunkett, Scrabo Blaze; 5) Anna Sloan, Ballyvarry Doon; 6) Grace McIlroy, Millennium Ace.
EI 80 T:
1) Ben Cousins, Drumnaconnell Monza; 2) Jonathan Steele, Mharla Majestic Lady; 3) Charlotte Glenn, Paddy Maloney; 4) Holly Carville, Tullans Roxy; 5) Claire Liddle, Ballytrim Molly; 6) David O’Connor, Tullymurry Katie.