New Zealand’s James Avery leads two of the three senior classes before the weekend’s cross-country phase of the Tattersalls Ireland international horse trials in Co Meath.
In the George Mernagh Memorial CIC3*, which commemorates the event’s founder George Mernagh, a former managing director of the sales company, England-based Avery leads on a penalty score of 20.80 with the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Zazu.
Australia’s Emma McNab is lying second overnight on the Irish Sport Horse gelding Fernhill Tabasco, a 2018 gelding by Tabasco van Erpekom, while best of the Irish riders in third is England-based Jonty Evans and his Rio Olympics ride Cooley Rorkes Drift (22.80), a 12-year-old ISH gelding by Courage II.
On a score of 27.30 with Vitali, Avery holds a slender lead in the Eventing Ireland CCI2* over his compatriot Tim Price on Falco (27.40) with Britain’s Piggy French currently in third sport with the ISH gelding Cooley Monsoon (also on 27.40).
Lying seventh, Evans is the top-placed Irish rider in this class with Dreamliner (29.70) while he also holds that position with Clara M (28.70) in The Irish Field CCI3* class where the top spot on 24 penalties is filled by China’s Alex Hua Tian on Don Geniro.
Friday’s cross-country course will certainly have had its effect on the results when the one-star classes finish following Saturday’s show jumping phase.
In the Cooley Farm CCH1* for six and seven-year-old horses, Britain’s Laura Collett maintains her position at the top of the leaderboard with Calmaro while in the Land Rover CCI1* China’s Alex Hua Tian moved up from fourth to first with Jilsonne van Bareelhof.
There is just one overseas challenger in the Kubota CCIJ1* where Britain’s Sophie Barlow is in sixth place behind Co Down’s Katie Riley on Versace Biscuit. Eleven of the 24 cross-country starters in the Berney Bros Saddlery CCI1* for ponies came home clear within the time allowed leaving Co Kildare’s Isabelle Comerford in the lead with Colour Me Fancy.
Eventing: Tattersalls, Ireland
George Mernagh Memorial CIC3* (after dressage) - 1, New Zealand's Zazu (James Avery) 20.80 penalties; 2, Australia's Fernhill Tabasco (Emma McNab) 21.90; 3, Ireland's Cooley Rorkes Drift (Jonty Evans) 22.80; 4, Britain's Artistiek (Millie Dumas) 25.60; 5, Britain's Bay My Hero (William Fox-Pitt) 26.70; 6, Britain's Flying Finish (Daniel Alderson) 28.10; 40 starters.
Eventing Ireland CCI2* (after dressage) - 1, New Zealand's Vitali (James Avery) 27.30 penalties; 2, New Zealand's Falco (Tim Prince) 27.40; 3, Britain's Cooley Monsoon (Piggy French) 27.40; 4, Britain's Maybach (Pippa Funnell) 28.60; 5, Australia's Brookfield Quality (Kevin McNab) 29.30; 6, Britain's Caesars Gold (Lydia Hannon) 29.50; 49 starters.
Land Rover CCI1* (after dressage and cross-country) - 1, China's Jilsonne van Bareelhof (Alex Hua Tian) 28.50 penalties; 2, Britain's The Corn Crake (Matthew Wright) 28.90; 3, Britain's Braveheart B (Tom McEwen) 29.20; 4, Britain's Freestyler (Tim Rogers) 29.40; 5, Britain's Woodlander Wesuvio (John Paul Sheffield) 29.70; 6, Britain's Atlantic Vital Spark (William Fox-Pitt) 30.40; 64 starters.
Cooley Farm CCI1* for young horses (six and seven-year-olds) (after dressage and cross-country) - 1, Britain's Calmaro (Laura Collett) 21.80 penalties; 2, Britain's Red Kite (Harry Meade) 24.90; 3, Britain's Goteus S (Harry Harding) 25.30; 4, Britain's Dreamaway (Tom McEwen) 25.30; 5, Britain's Carnival March (Piggy French) 25.80; 6, Ireland's DSL The Entertainer (Elizabeth Power) 25.90; 71 starters.
Kubota CCIJ1* (after dressage and cross-country) - 1, Ireland's Versace Biscuit (Katie Riley) 25.20 penalties; 2, Ireland's Major Black (Lucy McIlroy) 27.20; 3, Ireland's Rum Jumbie (Robyn McCluskey) 28; 4, Ireland's Miracle (Romy McCarthy) 28.70; 5, Ireland's Superjumbo (Maresa Ronan) 30; 6, Ireland's Mr Chocolate (Megan Telford-Kelly) 31; 32 starters.
Berney Bros Ireland CCI1* for ponies (after dressage and cross-country) - 1, Ireland's Colour Me Fancy (Isabelle Comerford) 28.20; 2, Ireland's Tynan Mist (Lucy Johnston) 28.90; 3, Ireland's Knockenpower Minnie (Charlotte Teehan) 29.30; 4, Ireland's Fiona's Fionn (Grace Tyrrell) 3120; 5, Ireland's Robin Hood's Gentle Cloud (Heather O'Connor) 33; 6, Ireland's Fernhill Timbacktoo (Chloe Fagan) 33; 26 starters.
