Sally Corscadden, leader after the first day of dressage, maintained her advantage through to the finish at the Ballindenisk international horse trials in Co Cork yesterday. Riding Stephanie von Schilcher's home-bred six-year-old, Young Man, Corscadden was fast and clear across country on Saturday and, despite a fence down in yesterday's rain-sodden show jumping, held on to win by a good margin from Austin O'Connor.
O'Connor, recently returned from making his Olympic debut in the individual three-day event in Sydney, moved up from fourth place after the dressage with Eugene McKenna's former hunter, Ivan Idea, although he too made a mistake in the show jumping. Tom Doherty, who had held third overnight with Bobbybacopa, plummeted right down the placings to 22nd after a disastrous round over the coloured poles that left rails from five fences in the mud. His disappearance allowed Kildare rider Claire Gilna up to third with the nine-year-old Kambalda gelding Macloud. The British and French ponies suffered most from yesterday's horrendous weather, as their departure was delayed substantially by the rough seas. But there was plenty to celebrate in Cork, with 15-year-old Scarborough-born Holly Lemke claiming the pony honours on the seven-year-old Brigg View Bishops Gem and also leading the northern Britain team to victory. French girl Gwendolen Fer took the runner-up slot with Arius ahead of former Irish pony Harry Hotshot. Louise Bloomer finished best of the home side in fourth with Master Houdini.
The junior honours went to 17-year-old Dessie Kilkenny. Kilkenny and Morafic Dream, clear across country on Saturday, were footperfect in the show jumping to win by a distance from Alexandra Dimsdale-Gill and the former Olympic horse, Ping Pong, when overnight runners-up Bella Doyle and Tipp Magic added 21 in the show jumping to drop to fourth.
Danish-born Charlie Krause Walsh, who has been based in Mullingar for a number of years, led from flagfall to win the sportsmans class with Braveheart, holding off the challenge from class sponsor Gerard Campbell, who finished second with Doctor Robert.
On the show jumping front, news on the proposed rescue package for the Millstreet World Cup qualifier is expected to break later today. Tony Hurley, national chairman of the Show Jumping Association of Ireland, met with the Duggan family on Friday night and is hopeful that the prestigious qualifier will be reinstated for the early November fixture.
CIC Final placings: 1, Ireland's Young Man (Sally Corscadden), 45.2 penalties; 2, Ireland's Ivan Idea (Austin O'Connor), 53.6; 3, Ireland's Macloud (Claire Gilna), 53.6; 4, France's Ardfield Imp (Eric Pele), 55.8; 5, Britain's The Smoothie (Harriet Carroll), 59.4; 6, Ireland's Tower View (Susan Shortt), 60.6.
PONIES (CCIP): 1, Britain's Brigg View Bishops Gem (Holly Lemke), 40.0 penalties; 2, France's Aruis (Gwendolen Fer), 43.0; 3, Britain's Harry Hotshot (Millie Vincent), 45.6; 4, Ireland's Master Houdini (Louise Bloomer), 48.0; 5, Britain's Llanstinan Ivor (Robert Mitchell), 49.4; 6, France's Couf de Coustaussa (Emmeline Saint), 51.4.
JUNIORS: 1, Ireland's Morafic Dream (Dessie Kilkenny), 72.6 penalties; 2, Ireland's Ping Pong (Alexandra Dimsdale Gill), 88.8; 3, Ireland's Coolkennedy Royal (Orlaith Delamere), 91.4; 4, Ireland's Tipp Magic (Bella Doyle), 103.6; 5, Ireland's Drishane (Alexandra Dimsdale Gill), 120.0; 6, Britain's Be Serious (Olivia Haddow), 153.4. SPORTSMANS AMATEUR RIDERS: 1, Denmark's Braveheart (Charlotte Krause Walsh), 56.4 penalties; 2, Ireland's Doctor Robert (Gerard Campbell), 60.8; 3, Ireland's Mr Amadeus (Marian Mortell), 78.0; 4, Ireland's Harbour Lights (John McBride), 107.8.
