Ryan hoping Eclipse can pass biggest test to date
The Bandon, Co Cork, rider is best of the Irish in the Mervue Equine short-format three-star class, her dressage score of 49.6 penalties putting her sixth and well-placed to challenge for a placing at the Ballindenisk event.
However, for Ryan, the priority is to prove Tom and Carol Henry’s eight-year-old gelding is ready for further elevation up the grades.
“We did the CCI two-star in April in Ballindenisk and placed third. Basically, since then, I’ve moved him up to three-star level. He’s only eight and my main aim is to get him to Boekelo [the Netherlands] in a few weeks, so I want a good run and, if I get a placing, that’s a bonus. He needs to get around here quick enough and be very capable before I consider Boekelo. Basically, I’ll be testing him,” she said.
Ryan withdrew the horse from Blenheim last weekend, because, she felt “the ground was too hard”, but yesterday’s rain has ensured the going will be perfect this time.
Knowing the vagaries of the sport, she declined to be drawn as to whether her experience at her ‘home’ event would prove beneficial, though opined she “would be confident enough”.
Ryan lies just over six penalties adrift of leader Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp, the American and Fernhill By Night on 43.2pens, followed by Britain’s Izzy Taylor (Thistledown Poposki) on 47.8pens and Oliver Townend (Dunbeau) on 48.0pens. Kathryn Robinson (Let It Bee) looks to have put her ineligibility from the Canadian World Equestrian Games squad behind her — she failed to declare for selection in time — and sits in fourth place on 48.2pens.
Taylor is also in contention in the long-format CCI two-star, leading on Call Me Maggie May.
Dressage in the feature Johnson & Perrott Land Rover long-format three-star competition was completed on Thursday, apart from Clare Abbott who did a solo run yesterday that saw her slot into second place. She was unable to compete on day one due to her teaching duties and yesterday scored 43.8pens with Euro Prince.
Australia’s Tim Boland (GV Billy Elliot) heads the 19-strong field, a mere 0.8pens ahead of Abbott, with Oliver Townend and Skyhills Cavalier overnight third on 47.6pens.
Sam Watson (Horseware Lukeswell) is one of three riders at Ballindenisk that helped Ireland secure Olympic qualification at the recent World Equestrian Games — the others being Joseph Murphy and Aoife Clark — and the Carlow rider lies on fourth on 47.8pens.
Sarah Wardell — whose main occupation is making curtains — and her 15-year-old campaigner Killeenduff Boy are also well positioned in seventh on 49.4pens. The rider from Dunlavin, Co Meath is at Ballindenisk seeking consolation after a tough time at Burghley recently.
“It’s a case of fingers crossed. I took him to Burghley, but I had a stop and I pulled him up, as he was lame, so I had the horse ambulance back to the stables, but then we could find nothing wrong. When I got back to Ireland on Monday, he was sound as a whistle, so we are here and, listen, anything is going to be a bonus.”
The short-format CIC two-star sees Aoife Clarke at the top with Rienroe Lucky Ranger, her 38.1pens putting her more than five penalties ahead of the aforementioned Canadian, Kathryn Robinson (Cooley Eclipse). Clark also lies third with Wasting Light.
Today’s cross-country holds much promise of excitement and ability to shake up leaderboards. It also has the potential for an explosive finish, with the Army installing guns under a huge camouflage canopy at one fence that is sure to get the attention of some of the more highly-strung horses. Those that get past the gun emplacement gain passage to tomorrow’s show jumping decider.
