Clark hopeful of place in Irish squad for World Games
The Oxfordshire-based Kildare woman and Fenyas Elegance powered to three-star victory at Bramham last weekend with an authoritative display of jumping, while she also placed 12th with the gelding Vaguely North.
Yet, she says, thoughts of featuring on Ireland manager Nick Turner’s WEG list are not foremost.
“That’s not something I focus on. I concentrate on what’s in front of me. Last week, the two horses put in super performances and that’s all I can do.
“Obviously, I hope to be in the running. I’ve done the best I can with the two horses and am delighted with how the mare has gone.
“I’m also thrilled with Vaguely North, he has four-star experience and he finished 12th. He jumped clear until the last three fences in show jumping. It was holding ground and he was tired; he hasn’t done a three-day in three years, due to an injury to his leg he picked up when jumping clear in Badminton,” said Clark.
Fenyas Elegance — owned and bred by West Cork man PJ Hegarty — also showed her class last year when winning her first long-format three-star at Blenheim Palace against the cream of the sport. Yet, she lacks four-star experience. Put this to Clark and she is categorical it’s not an issue.
“She’s only 10. We were half thinking of Badminton this year, her first four-star, but she picked up a sickness, which interrupted her preparation, so we did another three-star, which obviously worked out well. She is now ready for four-star level; she made the course at Bramham, a tough course, feel very easy,” said Clark.
Taking a leap of faith and assuming Clark is WEG-bound, which of the mounts would she favour?
“The two horses are far too different, both are excellent, with different strengths... and it’s not up to me,” she said diplomatically.
Defining Fenyas, she said: “She is incredibly powerful, with a huge jump. She is feisty and likes to be in control. We have a great partnership and she is a real character. Incredibly talented.”
Vaguely North, meanwhile, has “got a wonderful attitude. He tries his heart out. He’s a full thoroughbred and is the most amazing cross-country horse.”
The focus turns this weekend to Luhmühlen in Germany, where Jonty Evans returns with Double Dutch V aiming to better the pairing’s 28th place achieved last year. He scored 59.5 penalties yesterday to lie 15th of the 27 who lined out in dressage. Melanie Ashe (Rathmolyon Flight) begins her competition today.
- Millstreet lost out this week with its applications to stage both the 2015 and 2016 European Championships for young riders, juniors and children.
Instead, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) bureau decided on Tuesday to award next year’s event to Wiener Neustadt in Austria, on a date to be confirmed. Millstreet was one of five bidders. The 2016 championships will be staged on July 6-10 in Rotterdam, the only venue in the running with Millstreet.
The Cork venue is gearing up to stage the European Pony Championships, which begin on July 29.
- Shane Breen has again cashed in, selling one of his top horses, Balloon, to young Mexican rider Eugenio Garza. Breen and the gelding featured on the third-placed Irish teams in last year’s Furusiyya Series final in Barcelona and Dublin.
- Darragh Kenny, Richie Moloney, Conor Swail and Shane Sweetnam are in Calgary, Canada, for tomorrow’s $125,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup.
Ireland line out against Canada, the US and Mexico, who each field two teams.
- Ireland placed sixth of nine teams in the Children on Horses Nations Cup in Hagen, Germany, yesterday.
Under chef d’equipe John Ledingham, the team of Harry Allen (Wild Thing L, 0/4), Abby Morton (Patch Mills Laura, 0/12), Killian Ryan (Boomerang Breeze, 14/4), and Emilie Larkin (Flexing, 0/12) finished on a total of 20 faults, having been among five teams to finish the first round on a zero tally.
Italy beat the Netherlands in a jump-off.
- Third place for Peter Moloney last Sunday at Ballinamona Equestrian Centre outside Waterford has put him top of the Connolly’s Red Mills Munster Grand Prix League.
Aboard Ribanbelle Tame, the Kilkenny rider had to give way on the day to Francis Connors on Hilda Anthony’s Uskerty Diamond Lady and Galway-born Catriona Fallon with the Nightfield Equestrian-owned Nivitas Charge K.
Moloney tops the leaderboard on 14 points, with Connors second on 12, while Fallon joins Seamus Hayes and Gerard Clarke in third on 10 points.
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