Early Christmas present for O’Connor at Olympia
The performance meant back-to-back victories (of sorts) for the 31-year-old, who rounded off last year’s show with victory in the grand prix with Rancorrado, the first time Ireland had won the class since Eddie Macken’s triumph in 1987.
O’Connor was on board Umberto yesterday and finished just under a fifth of a second ahead of veteran Briton John Whitaker on Dazzle II in the two-phase class, with Ben Maher, riding Toklund, third.
The nine-year-old Celano gelding Umberto has now provided O’Connor with two wins in five days, having claimed the Geneva Derby trophy in Switzerland last Saturday.
Yesterday’s subsequent Christmas Pudding Stakes proved unpalatable, however, for O’Connor, who was eliminated on another new addition to his string, the Cruising gelding Larkhill Cruiser.
Billy Twomey was also well down the leaderboard, having posted 10 faults with Je t’Aime Flamenco.
Twomey and O’Connor, however, will have their eyes on Sunday’s World Cup qualifier and Monday’s grand prix.
Twomey has been consistent throughout the year, which is reflected in his rise to number nine in the world rankings. He also lies equal 12th in the World Cup Western European League and is on course for a place in next April’s final in Leipzig.
* AN Eventing Ireland (EI) inquiry committee has concluded its investigation into the death of Karen Rodgers almost three years after the tragedy occurred.
Rodgers (41) from Kildare, died when her horse Kilcoltrim Brigade fell at the second-last fence — a water jump — during the cross-country phase at Ballindenisk, Co Cork.
The EI board was due to discuss the inquiry report on Tuesday, but the meeting was deferred as a mark of respect following the death last Saturday of former Army Equitation School commander Lt Colonel Ronnie MacMahon.
Eventing Ireland chairman John Wright yesterday confirmed receipt of the inquiry’s findings.
“I have now received the results of the enquiry, chaired by solicitor Patrick Kennedy of Thurles, It will be presented for discussion to the board at our next meeting in January. This was to happen this week, but the meeting was cancelled due to the death of our esteemed member Lt Colonel Ronnie MacMahon,” he said.
Wright expects the report will be made public, but added that witness statements would, most likely, be withheld, in deference to the witnesses.
The report amounts to four pages, according to Wright, a barrister, who was present at Ballindenisk on April 20, 2008, when Rodgers died. He was asked by the Munster Region to take charge of the situation on the day, but was not part of the inquiry team nor did he act as a witness.
“A most thorough and detailed inquiry has taken place into all of the circumstance surrounding the incident. Many witness statements and the technical reports have been assembled, including external expert witness reports, a vet’s report and a report by a firm of consulting forensic engineers,” he said yesterday.
Asked why it had taken almost three years for the inquiry’s report to be compiled, Wright said: “We could not proceed until the coroner’s and Garda work had been completed, which took most of 2008. A very substantial file was assembled by the voluntary enquiry team for review. This amounted to over 60 pages of documentation, which needed careful consideration.
“I would like to again express Eventing Ireland’s enormous sadness at the death of Karen. She was a most popular rider and is hugely missed.
“I would also like to thank the inquiry team for their thorough work.”
Aside from Patrick Kennedy, the inquiry committee consisted of Paul Brady, EI events director; John Reid, EI breeding director; and Marion Donegan, EI vice-chairman and director.
A coroner’s verdict delivered in September 2008 found that Rodgers died “as a result of traumatic laceration of the left ventricle due to blunt force trauma to the chest in a horse riding accident”.
lLT COL Ronnie MacMahon, former commanding officer at the Army Equitation School, passed away last Saturday.
An Olympic event rider, international coach and advisor, he finished second at the Badminton Horse Trials in 1970 with San Carlos and the following year reigned supreme at Punchestown. They competed at the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972 and at the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976.
For many years, Lt Col MacMahon was chef d’equipe and coach to the Irish eventing squad, and he was a founder-member of Riding for the Disabled Association of Ireland.
He was commanding officer at the Equitation School from 1997 to 1999 and, following his retirement, he went on to become technical advisor to the Show Jumping Department of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation for eight years.
In latter years, he was committed to the highly-successful Future Event Horse League, which he helped establish.
FEI president Princess Haya described him as “one of the richest horsemen, in spirit and soul, that I have ever known. The global equestrian community has lost one its greatest ambassadors, and one of its truest human beings”.
Lt Col MacMahon is survived by his wife, Judy, and their daughters Clare and Emily.
* DENIS LYNCH was named International Rider of the Year last weekend at the annual Show Jumpers Club Ball.
Rookie of the Year was Nicola FitzGibbon.
The European silver medal-winning pony quartet of Bertram Allen, Tom Foley, Shane Kenny, Emma O’Dwyer and Kate McDonagh won the Team of the Year accolade. Pony chef d’equipe/coach Ian Fearon was also lauded.
A special achievement award went to Clem McMahon in recognition of his excellent performance in Lanaken.
Aglish Gymkhana won the Show of the Year title.
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