Hot off an Irish Nations Cup win at Millstreet, a strong Irish contingent headed to the 50th Anniversary of Bramham Horse Trials, a crucial event for the Paris 2024 team selection.
Guided by HSI High Performance Director for Senior Eventing Dag Albert, who has represented Sweden at two Olympic Games, two World Equestrian Games, and five European Championships, Irish riders secured four of the top ten spots in the CCI4*-S after the first day of dressage.
Joseph Murphy achieved a personal best with Calmaro at the four-star level, scoring 27.8. Felicity Ward, with her championship gelding Regal Bounty, and Caroline Clarke, riding the 15-year-old Touch Too Much – whom her mother purchased at the Gorsebridge sales when Caroline was 15 – were placed in seventh and ninth, respectively.
With Isazsa in third place overnight on 27.8, Austin O’Connor continued his form on Friday with successful 2023 campaigner, The Salty Syndicates Colorado Blue and Susie Berry followed suit, improving on a 30.6 with Wellfields Lincoln with a 28.4 from an in-form-looking John The Bull
In the CCI4*-L, Susie with Irene Leva and Padraig McCarthy with Lady Ophelia stood 24th and 25th, respectively, after dressage. With the challenging Ian Stark cross country course ahead, the competition remained intense on Saturday.
Both would tackle the course efficiently and without error, incurring only time penalties. Meanwhile, clear rounds were abundant in the CCI4*-S show jumping. Six in total from Austin with Isasza and Colorado Blue, Susie with Wellfields Lincoln and John The Bull, Padraig with Pomp N Circumstance, Felicity and Regal Bounty, Fred Scala and Everon Vivendi and Declan Cullen and Ultimate Quality. No Irish rider had more than one fence down.
Austin and ‘Salty’ had one of the best cross country rounds of the day, clear inside the time to finish in second place; just 0.8 off the win. Following their win at Maryland’s five-star event last autumn, this performance solidifies their contention for a senior team spot. Austin also secured a top ten finish with Isazsa.
Susie Berry’s two clear rounds, with 3.6 time faults for Wellfields Lincoln (7th) and 7.2 time faults for John The Bull (11th), earned her a commendable ‘seven-eleven’ finish despite being under the weather.
Padraig and Pomp N Circumstance improved to thirteenth place, thanks to a lovely clear and just 4.4 time penalties, making him the recipient of the George Lane Fox Memorial Trophy and Joseph and Calmaro finished inside the top twenty with one down in show jumping and 7.2 cross country time faults
Aiofe Clark and Sportsfield Freelance narrowly missed the top twenty, with Aiofe returning to top form after the birth of her son. Having finished seventh individually in the London Olympic Games, Aiofe knows all too well what it takes and means to get to an Olympics. Fred and Everon Vivendi produced flawless jumping rounds in both show jumping and cross country, no doubt he will have been overjoyed with the horses’ performance
Molly Evans, 24, piloted Wellan Graffiti to a sixth-place finish in the CCIU254*-L. After recovering from a broken pelvis that led to sepsis and anaphylactic shock, keeping her away from the sport for two years, Molly is poised to become a future star for Team Ireland
The groundwork has been laid, and the riders have put in solid performances. Now it’s up to the selectors to announce the squad on Monday!
