Ireland achieve season’s best fourth in Rotterdam
Cian O’Connor was back on track with his new mount Blue Loyd, providing the team’s only clear to add to his opening five faults. Jessica Kürten (Voss) scored 5/8, while Denis Lynch (Abbervail van het Dingeshof) opened with four faults and had one time fault on his return. Clem McMahon was impressive with Pacino — having been called up for Shane Breen after Cos I Can picked up an injury — incurring a single time fault and four faults second time out for a team total of 15 faults.
On Thursday Ireland manager Robert Splaine said that “Pacino is untested at this level, but is certainly the horse being talked about at the moment. As everyone knows, though, talking is best done in the ring”. Yesterday, he liked what he had heard.
“Pacino is a lovely young horse and this was its first Top League outing, and it gave a superb performance. It’s certainly a great prospect for the future.”
The competition was won by Germany on four faults.
Meanwhile, Andrew Bourns and Roundthorn Madios beat 42 rivals to win the 1.60m jump off at the four-star show in Hickstead.
* The provision of a €50,000 bonus by the Fells for their Ballindenisk Horse Trials deserves praise for its inventiveness. The Goresbridge Go For Gold Bonus will apply at the Cork venue’s September 2013 fixture and be open to the winners of this September’s and next April’s short format classes.
Peter Fell revealed in yesterday’s Irish Examiner the scope of the family’s ambition: “We have a vision for Ballindenisk and have been making big strides in recent years to put it on the international eventing map. Our first event was held in 1974 and we are the oldest venue in the country. It has always been a permanent fixture on the Irish calendar, but, genuinely, by 2017 we plan to rival the best events in Europe.”
Fantastic as it may seem, he would not rule out a bid for the European Championships in a number of years.
lORGANISERS were working hard in the past few days after a decision was made to transfer the cross-country element of this weekend’s Irish Pony Club Minimus Championship to Millstreet.
Local organiser Noel Fitzgerald said that while it was possible Kilguilkey House — the original venue for the event’s Cork debut — would have proved adequate, they could not risk it in light of recent rain.
“The cross-country riding has been moved from Kilguilkey House to Green Glens and we are constructing a new all-weather track measuring approximately 1.5km,” said Fitzgerald.
“The Minimus is a major undertaking, we will have 452 ponies going out at a minute-and-a-half apart. It takes meticulous planning. Most likely the ground in Kilguilkey would have stood up to the punishment it would have been subjected to, but you cannot take a chance, particularly when you are dealing with children under the age of 12.
“Millstreet is an ideal venue and we are lucky to have it and grateful to Noel C Duggan for his kind offer.”
While there are 452 entries, the riders and their entourage constitute a 2,500-strong influx into North Cork, bringing a welcome boost to the local economy.
The Minimus, cross-country takes place today, followed by running and swimming tomorrow in Mallow.
* Greg Broderick will be bidding to extend his sizeable lead in the TRM/SJI National Grand Prix League contests in West Clare today, with €5,000 on offer, and Charleville, Co Cork, tomorrow, boasting €4,500. After six rounds and with two wins under his belt, Broderick stands on 35 points, 14 more than Michael Duffy, with Mervyn Clarke on 18.
The Munster Connolly’s Red Mills Grand Prix League moves to Tallow Gymkhana in Waterford next Thursday, with Seamus Hayes on 27 points, giving him a two-point margin over Mark O’Sullivan. Francis Connors, in third place on 20 points, will be hoping home turf can see him improve his position.
Further details: 087-2455781, 087-6687549.
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