Ryan optimistic Camphire switch will pay dividends

EVENTER Michael Ryan is optimistic of capitalising on his decision to switch from Blair Castle to Camphire this weekend.

The Bandon-based rider opted to join his wife Patricia at the Waterford fixture after an injury to Ballylynch Skyport was slow to heal. He will compete Annestown Emperor, who finished second in the three-star at Ballindenisk at the end of May, and Dromgurrihy Blue, runner-up in the two-star at Cork event.

“Ballylynch Skyport picked up a bit of a cut and Annestown Emperor is just short of fittening work and, since he is going to Blenheim, I want him to be 100%.

“Basically, it did not make sense to go to Blair Castle with one horse, so I thought I would go to Camphire. Also, it is such a good track; with Paul Brady and Van de Vater involved in the event, it’s guaranteed to be good and the reports last year confirmed that. It also means I am supporting a local event,” said the Limerickman yesterday.

Never one content just to give it a go, he has high — but what he feels are realistic — hopes for Emperor, a 10-year-old gelding and Blue, a nine-year-old by Puissance and, though he acknowledges Tattersalls at the end of May was memorable for the wrong reasons, things since give him reason to be optimistic.

“Annestown Emperor has a good record and has been placed at three-star level, though he had a stop in Tattersalls. Dromgurrihy is also fairly consistent. I fell off him at Tattersalls, but it was purely my fault and he has done a few national classes since and has shown good form. Camphire should provide good preparation for Blenheim.

“I’m hoping to at least have the two of them in the top five in Camphire. I could not say which of the horses will do better, and I don’t care,” said Ryan.

The Olympics is the long-term focus for him and his wife Patricia, who rides in the national classes at Camphire this weekend, having competed her new horse Tullineasky Hi Ho in Britain recently.

“Trish came 12th in the two-star in Hartpury last week with him, and they won in Ballindenisk and Kilguikey in the run-up. He is being aimed at next month’s Ballindenisk International and Boekelo at the end of the season. We are particularly excited about him. He is going in the right direction and I hope he has the ability to go to the top. At least, that’s what Carol and Tom Henry intended when they bought him,” said Ryan.

Camphire has attracted over 190 entries in the national and international classes, with Paul Brady and his father Alan designing the cross-country courses. The programme includes CIC two-star and a CCI one-star, with dressage opening proceedings tomorrow, followed by cross-country and show jumping on Sunday.

Horse Sport Ireland has provided €1,500 in prize money for the three highest placed Irish-bred horses in the Bucas CIC one-star for five and six-year-old horses.

Riders in this will be aiming to impress the selectors ahead of the World Breeding Championships in Le Lion d’Angers in France in October. Ireland has for many years topped the leaderboard at Le Lion, but slipped to second place last year, ensuring added incentive this year.

Camphire staged their first international last year and intend to build on that. Brady said they were delighted to secure the offer of Leader funding, the majority of which will go on upgrading the cross-country track as well as the tented village.

The organisers are also promoting Sunday as a family day on the estate, with the cross-country action complemented by trade stands, food stalls and entertainment.

Meanwhile, the Hannigan brothers ensured Ireland a solid start to the European young rider eventing championships at Blair Castle in Scotland, yesterday.

On day one of dressage, David Hannigan and Red Baron scored 46.7 penalties, while older sibling Peter posted a score of 51.7pens on First Mate to lie eighth. This put the team third overnight, with Alex Donahue on Ardfry Baringa and Melanie Young with Riverstown Express undertaking their tests today.

Individual rider Shane Power and TLB Interactive completed their test on 60.3pens to lie 22nd overnight, while Alex Houston and Missey Elliott go before the judges today.

In the European Dressage Championships in Rotterdam, neither Anna Merveldt (Coryolano) nor Judy Reynolds (Remember) fulfilled their potential, failing to progress as one of the top 30 riders to compete in tomorrow’s individual grand prix speciale. Merveldt yesterday scored 66.231%, while Reynolds earned 62.614%.

Much interest was focussed on the performance of Totilas and his new rider Germany’s Matthias Alexander Rath. The stallion was electrifying in the hands of Dutchman Edward Gal at the 2009 Euro Championships in Windsor and yesterday with Rath achieved the best German result, scoring 79,894% to place overnight third. Britain’s Carl Hester (Uthopia) leads with 82.568%, followed Adelinde Cornelissen (Jerich Parzival) of the Netherlands on 81.155%. Britain leads the team event ahead of Germany and the Netherlands.