Smith domination at The Clare 2
Countless hours of preparation lead to excellent event in Co Armagh
Vision, strategy and imagination are elements we engage with daily, yet they rarely align perfectly to manifest our aspirations. However, this was not the case for the Cullen family, whose efforts exceeded their own ambitious goals for the two events they organised in quick succession this month. Every detail was meticulously attended to in their quest for excellence.
The phrase “it takes a village” falls short here; rather, it required a city of dedicated and like-minded individuals to bring their vision to life, and the success of the events was never in doubt. Countless hours of preparation went into both occasions, with tremendous goodwill from numerous supporters across the North and South, who worked collaboratively to fill various roles.
Declan introduced two thrilling new classes to the line up, both of which garnered enthusiasm and became standout features of the events. The Belline Equestrian Mondial Du Lion Pathway EI 100 class saw Steven Smith triumph aboard ‘Le Barantula’, a five-year-old gelding owned by Anne Bowe.
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In the Treo Eile Cornbury Thoroughbred Pathway EI 100 class, Orlagh Halliday claimed the top prize with her husband Colin’s American Thoroughbred gelding, ‘Cold War’.
Congratulations to all who contributed to these remarkable events - they are a true asset to the Northern Region.
Organisers also thank Elaine McKee and Susie Hamilton Stubber for their generous gifts for the Volunteers’ Draw.
Team Smith Bros. dominated proceedings, taking 13 top six places overall.
Steven made it two wins in a row in the EI 110 Open class with ‘Tullaher Paudie’, an eight-year-old gelding owned by Susan O’Shea, sired by ‘Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan’, who led from the outset and finished 1.5 points clear of Jonathan Steele and ‘Somerville Springheeled’. This eight-year-old home-bred gelding of John Simpson’s is by ‘Uskerty Diamond Lad’ and he was picking up his fifth top-six finish this year.
There were just five starters in the Janet Hall-judged EI 110 class, where she reserved her top marks for Steven Smith riding his own ‘Lachain Lance’. This was the six-year-old ‘Lancelot’ gelding’s first win, although he has been knocking at the door on numerous occasions. Marketing guru, Christine O’Donnell from Co Kilkenny came second with ‘Killeenhousestud BGK’, a six-year-old black gelding by ‘Future Trend’.
It was certainly a case of changing fortunes in the EI 110 J class, where the early leader, Katie Robinson, had to settle for third place after knocking a coloured pole. This paved the way to success for Eimhear Donaghy and ‘TMS Freedom’, who replicated their success at the previous Clare event, winning fractionally from Erin Mathieson and ‘DG Dawn Chorus’.
The exceptionally compatible partnership of Britt Megahey and ‘R Showman’ clocked up yet another victory in the extremely competitive EI 110 Amateur class. Despite picking up 12 show jumping penalties, they had a landslide win over second-placed Alannah Kelly and ‘Millshogue Bailey’.
Hollie Smith added to the haul of red rosettes for the Gilford team, when she lifted the top prize in the EI 100 Amateur class for the second time with ‘Mr Diceman’, an 11-year-old gelding by ‘Ringfort Cruise’. They finished on their Lucinda Webb-Graham awarded mark of 25.8, which gave them an advantage of almost seven points over nearest rival, Nicola Martin riding her seven-year-old Irish Draught mare, ‘Dundrum Misty Blue’, who added just time penalties to their flatwork mark.
The most consistent partnership currently is, undeniably, Maya Constable and her incredible little pony, ‘Rockon Pedro’, who have scored five wins and two seconds in their last seven outings. This week it was a pillar-to-post run, finishing on 23.8 awarded by Joanne Cairns, while her yard mate, Aimee-Leigh Bailie and ‘Villa Prince’ took second place for the third consecutive week.
Another victory for Team Smith came in the EI 100J class where working pupil, Anna McErlean, never left winning in doubt as she finished on her first-phase leading score of 24.3 awarded by Jennifer Marshall riding ‘Saunderscourt Ambassador’, Steven’s 12-year-old gelding by ‘Cruisings Ambassador’. Elsie Barry moved up two places from dressage to take second place with ‘So Dignified’, a mare previously campaigned by Kathryn Graham.
Declan Cullen successfully secured two feature Pathway classes for his event.
The first of these was Belline Equestrian Mondial Du Lion EI 100 class for five-year-olds, where Steven Smith was back on centre podium position with ‘Le Barantula’, a chestnut gelding owned by Ann Bowe and sired by ‘Echonix’. They took their maiden outing by storm and completed on their first-phase score with Jonathan Steele coming in two points adrift on ‘Punch Lion’, a gelding owned by Pauline Faloon, who made his first appearance under EI rules just two weeks earlier.
The second feature class was the Treo Eile Cornbury Thoroughbred class, which saw Orlagh Halliday take the win with her husband, Colin’s, American bred Thoroughbred gelding, ‘Cold War’. They gained a one-place advantage after the early leaders, Connor McClory and ‘Mr Marmalade’, unfortunately picked up four show jumping faults and had to settle for third place overall. Taking second place and not adding anything to Joanne Cairns’s score of 31 was Gemma Esler and ‘Punters Dream’, an eight-year-old gelding jointly owned by the rider and Norma Wilkinson.
The main EI 100 class was numerically reduced this week by the addition of the two special Pathway classes, so just eight combinations came before Joanne Cairns, who was most impressed with Ian McCluggage and ‘Meadowspring’, Lindsay Martin’s eight-year-old gelding by the Irish Draught stallion, ‘Gortfree Hero’. Their completion score was their first-phase mark of 29.0 just over one point clear of Casey Webb riding ‘Knockaleery Mill Leaf', a six-year-old mare which has been competing for just one year and is owned and bred by Robert and Jane Huey.
It was very pleasing to see Emma Irwin back competing for the first time this year with Alison Irwin’s mare, ‘PSH Lets Tango’. They took centre stage in the EI 90 class, having led from the outset and kept both jumping phases clear except for the addition of 0.8 time faults across the country. This mare has been successfully campaigned this season by Ellie Hynds, while Emma has been concentrating on her studies.
Kelsea Maginnis maintained her first-phase position to finish on a score of 23.5 with ‘Burrenhill Jaguar’, Roberta Maginnis’s eight-year-old gelding by ‘Antaeus’.
There were just three starters in the EI 90 Amateur class, where the red rosette was awarded to Anne Killen on ‘Penanns Mourne Silver', her nine-year-old Irish Draught gelding with whom she started eventing this year. Edel Goodman came second with ‘My Pointilliste Diamond’, her six-year-old gelding by ‘Pointilliste’.
15-year-old Newtownabbey girl, Annie Davis, came double-handed to the EI 90 P class, where she finished first and fourth. She took the win with her mother’s gelding, ‘AJ Lightening Cavalier’, having moved up one position from dressage following the unfortunate cross-country elimination of the first-phase leader, Una McIlmail and ‘Lusmagh Anthem’.
Molly Marner from Ballynahinch took the runner-up spot with ‘Gelato’, replicating her performance at the Clare 1. This combination also featured very prominently in the Baileys Horse Feeds Flexi Eventing at the start of the season, with a top 20 finish out of over 500 participants.
Grace McIlroy took the honours in the EI 80 class of seven, where two failed to finish. She moved down a level from last week with ‘Millennium Ace’, but proved that last week’s hiccup was very temporary. They finished on their dressage score of 27.0, two and a half points clear of Ella McCrory and ‘The Alders Bobby Dazzler’, who were competing at just their second event.
The Northern Region must all join together in wishing Kitty Cullen every success as she heads to Le Mans in France as part of the Irish Pony Squad competing at the European Championships. Everyone will be following her progress with pride, as she begins her competition later in the week.
RESULTS
Saturday, July 26
EI Northern Region at The Clare 2
EI 110 Open:
1) Steven Smith, Tullaher Paudie; 2) Jonathan Steele, Somerville Springheeled; 3) Manvendra Singh, Grand Marnier; 4) Jim Newsam, Tullybee Renegade; 5) Emma Newsam, Kilcooley Michael; 6) Jim Newsam, Tullybee Louie.
EI 110:
1) Steven Smith, Lachain Lance; 2) Christine O’Donnell, Killeenhousestud BGK; 3) Casey Webb, Safe Harbour; 4) Steven Smith, Sinetta; 5) Johnny Mulligan, Nelson.
EI 110 J:
1) Eimhear Donaghy, TMS Freedom; 2) Erin Mathieson, DG Dawn Chorus; 3) Katie Robinson, Ophellia Cruise.
EI 110 Amateur:
1) Britt Megahey, R Showman; 2) Alannah Kelly, Milshogue Bailey; 3) Denis Currie, Merlot.
EI 100 Amateur:
1) Hollie Smith, Mr Diceman; 2) Nicola Martin, Dundrum Misty Blue; 3) Nicola Coffey, Gabriels Sarco; 4) Hannah Thompson, Jemeela Charm; 5) Karl Smyth, West Roc; 6) Philip Swann, Tignabruiach.
EI 100 P:
1) Maya Constable, Rockon Pedro; 2) Aimee-Leigh Bailie, Villa Prince; 3) Charlotte Betts, Akaroa Bittersweet.
EI 100J:
1) Anna McErlean, Saunderscourt Ambassador; 2) Elsie Barry, So Dignified; 3) Maya Constable, Urneypark Big Cat; 4) Lee Bloomfield, Newferry Jagermeister; 5) Anna McErlean, Happy Bo Lucky; 6) Robyn Rice, Holiday Kruising.
Belline Equestrian Mondial Du Lion Pathway EI 100 5YO:
1) Steven Smith, Le Barantula; 2) Jonathan Steele, Punch Lion; 3) Steven Smith, CJO Lux Tangoed; 4) Christine O’Donnell, BGK Third Time Lucky; 5) Emma Newsam, Wellan Kilcooley; 6) Caitie Slater, Belline LEB Noble Warrier.
EI 100:
1) Ian McCluggage, Meadowspring; 2) Casey Webb, Knockaleery Mill Leaf; 3) Casey Webb, Grantstown Dun and Dusted; 4) Charlie Boardman, Belline Newtown Douglas; 5) Aoife Gribben, Wildfire; 6) Ruby Proctor, Quick Step Up.
EI 90 Amateur:
1) Anne Killen, Penanns Mourne Silver; 2) Edel Goodman, My Pointilliste Diamond.
EI 90:
1) Emma Irwin, PSH Let’s Tango; 2) Kelsea Maginnis, Burrenhill Jaguar; 3) Lee Bloomfield, LSD Blaze; 4) Lucca Stubington, Magic Clementine; 5) Colin Halliday, Apple Jacques; 6) Colin Halliday, Ravanny.
EI 90 P:
1) Annie Davis, AJ Lightening Cavalier; 2) Molly Marner, Gelato; 3) Victoria Grieves, Twister D’Euro; 4) Annie Davis, Knockagarron Fear Bui Phoenix; 5) Freddie Castles, DG Dusk Til Dawn; 6) Ella Rose Sands, Drumlane Dick.
EI 90 T:
1) Suzanne Hagan, Bobby JH; 2) Jonathan Steele, Quality Julio; 3) Ellie McElroy, Loughdoo Maverick; 4) Holly Carville, Tullans Roxy; 5) Becky Cullen, Garralent; 6) Eva Kennedy, Nicely Dun Darcy.
EI 80:
1) Grace McIlroy, Millennium Ace; 2) Ella McCrory, The Alders Bobby Dazzler; 3) Cara Collins, Mharla Majestic Lady; 4) Rachael Burns, Cavalier Carry On Cruising; 5) Suzanne Maguire, Monlough Meteor.
EI 80 T:
1) Colin Halliday, Jimble Eva; 2) Molly Evans, Beltrim Moon Beach; 3) Izzy Napier, Hazeldene Elsa; 4) Ava Wickie, Fizz Bomb; 5) Manvendra Singh, Macs Clover Boy; 6) Eliza Samuel-Napier, Millparks Eoin.