Superlatives awarded for Tullymurry
The Northern Region wrapped up a remarkable event at the first visit to Co Down venue
Finding the perfect superlative was not difficult on Saturday, as the Northern Region wrapped up a remarkable event at Tullymurry 1.
- The weather was stunning, warm yet complemented by a refreshing breeze.
- The views were nothing short of breath-taking.
- The courses offered valuable learning experiences.
- The fence decorations were vibrant and imaginative.
- The atmosphere was incredibly welcoming.
- Competitors hailed from every corner of this beautiful island.
- The hospitality exceeded its already legendary status.
It is well-known that the Turley and O’Connor families embody excellence and they showcased this in every aspect on Saturday.
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The preparation efforts made by the family were astonishing, with their team, including David Turley and Ciaran Carr, working tirelessly into the early hours, aerating and watering with thousands of litres. The result got a resounding ‘thumbs up’ from the riders who came from all across Ireland.
They also incorporated a section of their neighbour’s land, allowing for an extended loop that certainly added a fresh approach and significantly opened up the track.
Marian Turley and her dedicated team of ladies prepared a lunch well-deserving of a Michelin star and served with a large dose of gratitude for everyone’s support. They made regular rounds to the Fence Judges, ensuring they were well-stocked with water and food, including Nichola Wray’s delicacies.
As one rider remarked, ‘they thought of everything’ and indeed, they did.
At the finish line, there was a water tanker with troughs and buckets, plus fresh water available in the yard to ensure that all the four-legged participants were well washed down, cooled off and hydrated.
Marian Turley has built this enterprise over decades, raising a family that mirrors her high standards of efficiency and work ethic. They are a true asset to the Northern Region and the sport of eventing. Organisers must also acknowledge the amazing team of volunteers, who were soaking up the sun, while ticking boxes and timing horses.
The Northern Region is very fortunate to have such a dedicated team and generous individuals who provide weekly prizes as incentives.
Smith Brothers, Gilford, always account for a hefty percentage of entries at the Northern Region events and this week was no different. Steven had five horses divided between the two Novice classes and all five appeared in the top placings.
He featured in the top two spots in the EI 110 Open, claiming a pillar-to-post victory with ‘Tullaher Paudie’, Susan O’Shea’s eight-year-old gelding by ‘Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan’.
They finished on the Lucinda Webb-Graham-awarded dressage score of 21.8, just over four points clear of stablemate, CJO Kann Surprise. This eight-year-old ‘Kannan’ gelding is owned by Northern Region sponsor, Carla Leitch of Clogher Valley Dental Care and her mother, Caroline Overend. The combination finished seventh in the CCI2*-L class at Millstreet International in May.
The Gilford rider also took centre stage in the EI 110 class with ‘Annaghmore Cornoko’, Campbell McLean’s six-year-old gelding by ‘HHS Cornet’, replicating their performance at The Clare the previous week. Again, they led from the outset, adding just cross-country time penalties to Coreen Abernethy’s score of 26.8. Co Meath rider, Sarah Ennis took second spot riding Joan O’Connor’s six-year-old grey mare, ‘DS Are You Calypso’. This partnership is certainly building a great set of results, as they’ve had top six finishes in their last five events.
Junior rider Caitlin Woods had a runaway victory in the EI 110 J class on board her father, Michael Woods’s, six-year-old gelding, ‘Greygrove Delight’. Despite lowering a fence and adding two time penalties, they finished 13 points clear of second-placed Erin Mathieson with ‘DG Dawn Chorus’, a mare by ‘Je T’Aime Flamenco’ with whom Erin has been notching up some very consistent results this season.
For some time, the EI 110 Amateur class has been lacking numbers but, this week, there were seven top-class competitors, including Denis Currie who moved up a level with his new horse, ‘Merlot’. Ros Morgan and ‘VOS Surprise’ were the early leaders, but time penalties in both jumping phases meant they had to settle for fourth place. This paved the way for yet another red rosette for Britt Megahey and R Showman, giving them a quintet of wins this year so far. Nichola Wray and Springhill Showman, no strangers to success and already having won on four occasions this year, slotted into second place, just over one point adrift.
Smith Brothers enjoyed yet another win with Steven’s daughter, Hollie, taking top place in the EI 100 Amateur class with the very accomplished Mr Diceman, an 11-year-old gelding by Ringfort Cruise and bred by John McBride. They moved up one place after dressage when the early leader, Barry Magan from Summerhill, lowered a fence in show jumping which dropped him to third place. Christine Findlay and Parklodge Over and Under, who have never been out of the top three this season, finished in second place, just half a point behind.
15-year-old Maya Constable continued her amazing form with another win in the three-starter EI 100 P class with ‘Rockon Pedro’. This partnership has had three wins and two runner-up spots in their last five runs. Aimee-Leigh Bailie and ‘Villa Prince’ jumped both phases clear but, unfortunately, picked up four penalties on a technical point, to finish second.
The EI 100J class was highly competitive with eleven combinations vying for that top placing. Cross-country time penalties proved to be the most influential factor with Maya Constable and ‘Urneypark Big Cat’ most impressing judge, Julie Green, in the first phase but the 4.4 time penalties relegated them to second place just marginally below Erin Mathieson and ‘DG Cool Dawn’, Hilary Mathieson’s seven-year-old mare by ‘Coolkeeran’. They were having their first run since Tyrella, as Erin was focussing on her A-levels.
Just 13 of the 18 starters in the EI 100 class completed, with Sarah Ennis taking a well-deserved win on ‘Ordonnay’, her six-year-old Dutch-bred gelding who was enjoying his fifth outing under EI rules. They finished on their Corey Mawhinney-awarded score of 22.8, over seven points clear of nearest rival and fellow Meath rider, Sophie McNicholas and ‘Forte Auream’, an eight-year-old gelding by Sligo Candy Boy.
There were plenty of corks popping in Greenisland on Saturday night, as Rachel Ferres celebrated her win in the EI 90 Amateur class with ‘SVS Zinno’, a seven-year-old grey mare by ‘Dino W’. They were partnering on just their second event and completed on the first-phase mark of 28.3 given by newly-listed Dressage Ireland Judge, Joanne Cairns. Northern Region is very proud of Joanne’s appointment to List 6, as she began her dressage judging as one of the ‘Trainees’ under the NR Training Programme.
Flora Crawford came in exactly one point behind to take second place with ‘Inisharoan Orlagh’, a mare owned by David O’Connor.
Dr Karen King has been a great supporter of Northern Region and producer of eventing stock, so it was very pleasing to see her home-bred horse, ‘Diamond Yeats’, picking up a pillar-to-post win in the EI 90 class under the saddle of Victoria Clarke.
Colin Halliday also finished on his first-phase mark with ‘Apple Jacques’, a five-year-old ‘Vancouver’ gelding jointly owned by Grace O’Shaughnessy and Orlagh Halliday.
The extended Turley family have put so much effort into their Tullymurry events over many years, so it is particularly heartening to see their third generation now out competing and enjoying the sport their family has invested so heavily in. That was very evident on Saturday.
Marian’s granddaughter Emily, daughter of her son James and his wife, Sarah, had an absolute runaway victory in the EI 90P class, where she was just one second over time.
Her sister, Darcy, was competing in the EI80T class where she picked up a fifth place with her little pony, ‘Marvellous Maisie’, and Eliza Samuel-Napier, a second cousin of Marian’s daughter, Laura and her husband, Andrew and daughter of the vet on duty, Louise Napier, took third in the same class on her debut event.
Another young rider making his debut was William Steele, son of eventers Jonathan and Claire Steele. William and ‘Knockbordan Revelation’ were lying fifth after dressage and kept all poles in place for show jumping, but picked up one refusal on cross-country.
Rachel Booth took the runner-up spot in the EI 90P class with ‘Melview Chester’, a 12-year-old gelding previously campaigned by Rachel’s brother, Adam.
14-year-old Belfast girl, Martha McMurray, took the win in the EI 80 class with ‘Woodrow Rosewood’, a mare owned by Joyce McConnell. They added fractions of a penalty to their first-phase mark and finished almost five points clear of second-placed Sarah Sloan and ‘Moneyquid Black’, Johanna Sloane’s six-year-old gelding, who were competing as a partnership for the first time.
Once again, Northern Region extends huge thanks to the Turley and O’Connor families for hosting the event and putting so much effort into making it a resounding success.
The Northern Region returns to Tullymurry this coming Saturday, July 19, for the second of their back-to-back events.
RESULTS
Saturday, July 12, 2025
EI Northern Region - Tullymurry 1
EI 110 Open:
1) Steven Smith, Tullaher Paudie; 2) Steven Smith, CJO Kann Surprise; 3) Jonathan Steele, Somerville Springheeled; 4) Sarah Ennis, LEB Rebelle; 5) Abby Coakley, Toome Carrick Jimmy; 6) Casey Webb, Nelgara Lucy Locket.
EI 110:
1) Steven Smith, Annaghmore Cornoko; 2) Sarah Ennis, DS Are You Calypso; 3) Steven Smith, Sinetta; 4) Steven Smith, Lachain Lance; 5) Orlagh Halliday, Cold War; 6) David O’Connor, Twice The Spice.
EI 110 Amateur:
1) Britt Megahey, R Showman; 2) Nichola Wray, Springhill Showman; 3) Denis Currie, Merlot; 4) Ros Morgan, VOS Surprise; 5) Aimee Webb, Imperial Matriach; 6) Lucy Toombs, Bluestone Ice.
EI 110 J:
1) Caitlin Woods, Greygrove Delight; 2) Erin Mathieson, DG Dawn Chorus; 3) Lee Bloomfield, BGS Tea or Coffee.
EI 110 Amateur:
1) Britt Megahey, R Showman; 2) Nichola Wray, Springhill Showman; 3) Denis Currie, Merlot; 4) Ros Morgan, VOS Surprise; 5) Aimee Webb, Imperial Matriach; 6) Lucy Toombs, Bluestone Ice.
EI 100 Amateur:
1) Hollie Smith, Mr Diceman; 2) Christine Findlay, Parklodge Over and Under; 3) Barry Magan, Caltra Western Dream; 4) Denis Coakley, Rossmount Point; 5) Naomi Buchanan, Mezcal; 6) Katie McKee, Summit.
EI 100 P:
1) Maya Constable, Rockon Pedro; 2) Aimee-Leigh Bailie, Villa Prince; 3) Isabella Irwin, Molly XX.
EI 100 J:
1) Erin Mathieson, DG Cool Dawn; 2) Maya Constable, Urneypark Big Cat; 3) Anna McErlean, Saunderscourt Ambassador; 4) Ellie Hynds, PSH Let’s Tango; 5) Jodie Scully, Baskin Kapuka; 6) Katie Robinson, Ophelia Cruise.
EI 100:
1) Sarah Ennis, Ordonnay; 2) Sophie McNicholas, Forte. Auream; 3) Rosey Herron, Imperial Wonder; 4) David O’Connor, Lowhill Chatterbox; 5) Emma Newsam, Wellan Kilcooley; 6) Jonathan Steele, hickstead Junior.
EI 100 T:
1) Neil Morrison, George; 2) Caoimhe Eivers, O Joker Poker; 3) Ralph Robinson, Ask Ted; 4) Anna Andrews, Kilygarvin Tir Na Og.
EI 90 Amateur:
1) Rachel Ferres, SVS Zinno; 2) Flora Crawford, Inisharoan Orlagh; 3) Bernadette Muirhead, Out of the Blue; 4) Wendy Findlay, Hill Farm Pebble; 5) Orla Sheehan, Bear With Us; 6) Julie Coombs, Bruno Mars.
EI 90:
1) Victoria Clarke, Diamond Yeats; 2) Colin Halliday, Apple Jacques; 3) Ian McCluggage, Meadowspring; 4) Anna McErlean, Happy Bo Lucky; 5) Abbie Knox, Freeway; 6) Poppy McMurray, Finding Nemo.
EI 90 P:
1) Emily Turley, Budore Mystic Legend; 2) Rachel Booth, Melview Chester; 3) Amelia Irwin, Melody Maker.
EI 90 T:
1) Suzanne Hagan, Bobby JH; 2) Sarah Ennis, Alabama Cruise; 3) Ben Rowlatt-McCormick, Marco; 4) Jackson Laing, Doon Da Vinci; 5) Jackson Laing, GFL Lynara Hot Topic; 6) Holly Carville, Tullans Roxy.
EI 80:
1) Martha McMurray, Woodrow Rosewood; 2) Sarah Sloan, Moneyquid Black; 3) David O’Connor, Kinmar Touch of Class; 4) Chloe Hamilton, Ardeo Rocketman.
EI 80 T:
1) Erin McClernon, Jumper D’Ainay; 2) Lucy Kayes, Jupiter Olympus; 3) Eliza Samuel-Napier, Millparks Eoin; 4) Eva McCafferty, Silver Pebble; 5) Darcy Turley, Marvellous Maisie; 6) Sarah Cowan, Gleann Rua Storm.