I took the opportunity to attend The Fork event in the States to see some ex Fernhill horses in action and catch up with friends over there.
It was an amazing event and very well run.
I flew in to Atlanta initally to visit long time friend and client Julie Richards. It was great to see her barn full of Fernhill in mates and experience her family’s hospitality. I arrived at 9pm and the kids were still swimming in the outdoor pool, its amazing what a difference the weather makes to a lifestyle.
We drove the 6 hours from Julies to The Fork in an amazing rig of a jeep and goose-neck trailer that was capable of taking 7 horses.
It was a long drive but gave Julie and I lots of time to catch up.
The place was beautiful set in a big park with lovely mature trees and undulating terrain, an ideal setting for an event. The tracks that ranged from pre-novice to CIC *** were well presented and very fair for each level. There were some interesting lines in the CIC*** that caught out the greener horses but in the main as the field was made up of seasoned competitors it jumped very well.
There were too many Fernhill horses to risk mentioning just a few and leaving some out but it was amazing to see them in action and meet the riders.
It is somewhere I would definatley recommend attending if anyone is looking at a low key alternative to Rolex or Fairhill to watch.
Whilst I was in USA the rest of the team took a selection of horses to Ballinaclough in my absence.
Fernhill Select made his season debut and fulfilled our expectations and won the O/CNC **. He is a very impressive horse and well ready for a *** this season.
Katie excelled her self with Ferhill Flaxon and won the CNCJ* which was a excellent result with a horse of just 6 years of age, she has done a great job producing him and is aiming at BallindeniskCICJ.
Katie also tood 3r place with Right You Be a 7 year old horse bred by Derek Baskin of Tipperary.
Andy Daines our new jockey from New Zealand got his first ribbon for Fernhill when placing 4th on Lord Clover.
Home and Away
April 23rd, 2012Monart Event
March 26th, 2012Glorious sun welcomed us to Monart Equestrial centre the home of Niall Griffin and Polly Jackson. One could have been fooled into believing we were on some Sunshine tour in Spain or Portugal.
The ground was about as good as it gets in this country and the courses were beautifully presented.
A new water complex was an interesting addition to the track and some other little tweeks and additions to the course made a great days sport.
Boleybawn Fernhill really excelled himself and WON the CNC** class. He lead from the from the outset with a stunning dressage test and even a single pole on the floor left the others trailing.
Fernhill Whatever had an unusual rub in the show jumping demoting him to 5th place after his leading dressage mark.
I again rode Primus and posted a double Clear in the O/CNC ** class. He is proving to be very consistant at this level and feels ready to move up very soon.
Katie did a great job in th Junior * class with Fernhill Flaxon soming in second and Right you be close behind in 3rd.
We all returned home with a little sunburn and a great buzz. Its amazing what a difference the weather makes!!
Ballendenisk
March 26th, 2012The second event of the season for Fernhill was in Co Cork at the home of the Fell Family.
Peter builts some super tracks that taught us a lot about our horses.
Again i rode Primus in the O/CNC ** Red Mills Super League class. He gave me a super spin xc but again was a little keen so the hand brake was applied for the second half of the tracka resulting in time penalties that kept us out of the ribbons.
Fernhill Ultimate posted an impressive double clear in the O/CNC** class and looks to be the makings of a really top horse just as we always thought. He has found the step up to ** so easy.
Boleybawn Fernhill made the move up to ** this week and really looked impresive xc. Fraser took him steady and incurred a handful of time penalties but we know speed will never be a problem for him!
Quiverhill Joshua rubbed a pole sj which is so unlike him but by the time he got to jump the ground had become very holding and he is a rather big horse! He was still placed 6th in the CNC* against some very experienced horses.
Katie made her Junior 1 star debut on Fernhill Flaxon but had a silly run out xc after jumping a class clear shoe jumping round. She was however 2nd with her own horse Pick and Mix so that was some consellation for her.
Andy Daines who has joined us from New Zealand this season made his Fernhill Debut on KEC Power Struggle and was double clear.
Fernhill Flason with Katie Moffat
The Season well underway.
March 26th, 2012With three events already under our belt this season Team Fernhill are proving to be on great form.
Our season begun in Ballinaclough at the farm of Richard Widger. He built some very fair but testing tracks to blow away the cobwebs that have formed over the winter.
I rode Primus into 6 th place in the O/CNC** star and was well pleased with his performance. He was a little keen xc so a few time penalties dropped us down the order.
Fraser managed to steer himself into the winners enclosure no less than three times. He won the CNC* with a new ride for him this season. A beautiful moving chestnut by OBOS Quality that looks set for greater things. H won the 5/6 year old CNC* with Quiverhill Joshua who was doing his first event under rules having spent last year contesting the FEHL 5 Year old classes and winning the new event class in Mill Street. Frasers final win came on a new addition to our string Cork Blues in the 4/5 year old Pre Novice class. This horse now heads out to America to continue his career with Matt Flynn.
Katie Moffatt is our Junior rider for this season and got off to a great start in the Junior C class with a second place with Right you be a 7 year old son of Olympic Lux and a third place with Fernhill Flaxon a horse with no recorded breeding which is unusual these days.
All in all we were happy with the day and all horses were on good form and delighted to get a spin xc.
March 1st, 2012
Virginia Leary was very excited with her beautiful coloured horse Kells when he won the Inter 2 dressage class at the Global Dressage Festival in Welington, Florida recently. WELL DONE Virginia from here in Fernhill.
Mini One Day Event
January 30th, 2012The first mini one day event of the season took place at Raheen Na Gun our next door neighbour on Sunday.
All the babies got a much needed outing, trotting around the indoor gets a bit tedious for them after a while.
Fraser was as usual in the lead after the dressage phase on all of his mounts. Fernhill Ultimate looked stunning and has really come into himself this year. Patrick who has yet to get an official name was impressive in all phases and is ready to start “proper” eventing this year having been given the time he needed to mature. He looks to be a real prospect for Le Lion D’Angers this Autumn.
Frasers new 6 year old Princess pineapple, shortly to be changed to a more fitting name, made a great transition from her show jumping career to win her section.. She has the movement and presence to do a stunning test so we will wait until she is ready to show it before she comes out in affiliated events.
Katie rode the 4 year old Fernhill Jackson into first place in the Intro class, he belied his years and looked like he had been at it all his life.
Andy our new Jockey from New Zealand made his debut riding for Fernhill and nursed around Fernhill Hustler on his first outing. This looks like one of the most exciting 5 year olds I have seen in a long time and we are very excited about his future. He will be given all the time he needs to find his feet and get into the game.
Andy also steered his own mount Pete into second in the intermediate section so was well pleased with his first taste of irish competition.
All in all a very useful outing to asses the string for this season and see who and what needs some attention before our first appearance under rules in March.
Fernhill Winners in Ballendenisk International
September 27th, 2011The International classes provided some great entertainment for the many spectators who chose to come to Ballendenisk to see the stars in action.
A great but long day of cross country on the Saturday provided plenty of thrills and spills for these spectators with some of the top riders coming to grief, leaving some of our Irish riders well in the shout for the prizes, especially when overnight rain made the show jumping arena very testing.
It was in fact Declan Cullen on his beloved stallion that took the top honours in the CCi 3 star class, it was great to see Tonto back in action after a lay off due to injury.
Zara was a popular winner in the CIC 3 star class and I am sure she accounted for many of the mass of young spectators over the weekend.
But in the Two Star sections the Fernhills were unbeatable!!
Mathew Wright took the CCI 2 star with the talented but quirky Fernhill Express, he ploughed on through the mud in the show jumping arena which caught out many competitors in every class, to finish on his dressage score.
I think everyone present was delighted for young Brian Morrison and Fernhill By Night when they Won the CIC 2 star class. Brian was standing in for regular jockey Julie O’Neill and I am sure she was not disappointed with his job. He meant business from day one posting a dressage score of 42.9 which got lots of oohs and ahhs from the crowd of spectators. Just a three time cross country and a great clear in the show jumping secured the class.
Luke Drea won the CCI 1 star class with his lovely mare Goreshill Pearl. No one begrudged Luke his win and it had been coming for sometime with this mare that is destined for greater things.
Ballendenisk International
September 27th, 2011Well the Fell family certainly excelled themselves this time!!
The placed looked amazing and the course could not have been better.
There was a star studded field of competitors and I am sure they were not disappointed with the event and facilities in Ballendenisk.
William Fox-Pitt, Zara Phillips, Gary Parsonage, Matthew Wright and Karin Donkers were amongst the overseas riders who chose to make the long trip over.
The Michael Leonard Memorial 5/6 year old championships were incorporated into the weekend which gave this class a real Championship feel and a great chance for these young horses to have a taste of an international atmosphere. It was our own Fernhill Ultimate that took the spoils in this class leading from the start with his stunning dressage test. He is a class act and just gets better with each outing. Infact three Fernhill residents were in the top placings with Deidre Lannigans Sea Top Boy just been pushed into third place by Louise Codd on the consistant Ballycree Milord. This was a great result for Deidre’s talented young horse who is really maturing now. Spirit In The Sky came in fourth and as we recently purchased him from Michael Leonards daughter Mary this was especially fitting.
August 26th, 2011
Yes its that time of the year when all the youngsters have to come in and get working!!
We have an amazing collection of lovely young horses this Autumn that have had a break and are ready to get serious!!
3 year old home breds and some we have collected during the summer Some really smart 4 year olds that look exciting prospects for next year.
Anyone looking for an exciting youngster look no further!!
