Sara sharing a moment with Princess pineapple
Archive for the ‘News’ Category
Mini One Day Event
Monday, 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
Tuesday, 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.
Friday, 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!!
Camphire International
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011Its hard to imagine a better place than last weekend in Camphire . The stunning setting with the Mature trees, which incidentally includes the largest oak tree in Ireland!! The Blackwater River running by and the backdrop of the Beautiful Camphire house its-self. Top this off with two days of sunshine and this really is my idea of Paradise!!
Some of Irelands most talented horses competed over the two days with some very exciting finishes to the international classes.
The Ennis sisters were in great form and I have to say given their recent sad loss they gave it their all as usual, forever the professionals.
Sarah steered the Porshe mare Sugar Brown Babe into the winners enclosure in the hotly contested CIC 2 star, she did give one of the show jumps a good rattle but no prizes for guessing who was holding it in its place. We miss you Orla but know you were there with us.
Sarah was on fire also taking 3rd with Stellor Rebound and 5th with The Underdog.
The other two Ennis sisters fought it out for the top spot in the CIC 5/6 year old class. Nicola rolled a pole in the show jumping which left the door open for Niamh to slot into the winners enclosure leaving Nicola down the order in 5th.
Our own Fernhill Ultimate really came into his own at this event and slotted in to 2nd place finishing on his dressage score of 46. This is the first time Fraser has asked him to gallop as he knew time penalties in this class would prove expensive, he rose to the occasion but was not keen to pull up at the end of the track, Fraser looked set to have a second tour of the solid fences but managed to explain the rules to Ultimate just before the boundary ropes of the collecting ring!!
Two more Fernhill residents also contested the CIC 5/6 year old class and we were delighted with their performance. Sea Top Boy was clear both XC and in the show jumping, time penalties xc were expected with him as he is just moving up to this level. Our new addition Spirit In The Sky who I had recently spotted show jumping in the Mill Street Boomerang class was thrown in at the deep end and came out of the weekend a very happy and better educated chap. He has a little miss understanding with Fraser at Fence 5 which resulted in 20 penalties but by the finish they really looked like they had been together more that the couple of days they had to prepare. All our young horses posted clear rounds in the show jumping which excited us a lot, this phase is so important and it was good to see them fresh and jumping well after the mornings xc test.
Thanks and congratulations must go to the Team at Camphire headed up by ” The Brady Boys” as they are now affectionatly called.
Groom Needed
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011Vacancy for a good groom or keen working pupil in Fernhill. Please be a cheerful positive person that loves the horses and gets on well with other people. We have a great team here at the moment but sadly one of them is heading back to Uni. If someone could start now and work alongside her for a while.
We have accommodation on site but sadly no room for a horse.
e.mail me at fernhillsporthorses@me.com if you have an interest.
Bromont.
Thursday, June 23rd, 2011It was exciting to see so many horses supplied by Fernhill competing at this prestigious event in Canada. Some great results were achieved.
Phillip Dutton seems to have cemented his partnership with William Penn (formerly Robbo Paddy) whom he purchased last autumn through Fernhill, he finished in 3rd place in the CCI 3 star on his dressage score. Phillip must have been delighted with a super clear on the third day for them as the odd rail has cost them previously.
Phillip was also 3rd with Mighty Nice in the CCI 2 star. Both Mighty Nice and William Penn were purchaed by owners of Phillp on the same shopping trip last autumn.
We were delighted for Vet Kevin Keane who came home in 6th place on Fernhill Flutter a son of Puissance. Kevin puts such a lot into the sport of Eventing in the US keeping Phillips horses on the road its nice that he can enjoy some success especially with an ex Fernhill resident!!
Kylie Lyman was dissapointed to have a few rails on the final day with Garrison Flash but must have been pleased with the horses first attempt at this level xc.
Westerley an ex Fernhill resident is still going strong and finished in 10th place in the CCI 2 star.
So Much News
Thursday, June 23rd, 2011Its been all action since I last wrote here, its hard to know where to start!!
The Event of the Season here in Ireland has to be the International in Tattersalls. They come from far and wide and the competition is hot hot hot!!
Fernhill Pimms was our representitive in the CCI 1 star class and finished in 6th place after an unfortunate show jump down cost him dearly.
In the CCI 2 star Fernhill M2s had a handy run, finished in the top half and achieved his goal of a qualifying score.
Fernhill Xquisite was unlucky in the CIC 3 star and had a stop at the top of the bank to rail. He was a little green jumping up and he tried so hard to make the rail but lack of impulsion forced him to grind to a half. At only 8 years old we can forgive a little greeness at this level and I am sure he has learned a lot from his trip.
Fernhill Highlight was a star as usual and finished in 7th place in the CCi 2 star.
My good friend Catherine Witt who generously sponsors the 1 and 2 star here was thrilled and very emotional when her son of Cult Hero Bay my Hero ran into the winners enclosure in the CCI 2 star following his win in the CCI 1 star just a year earlier here.
Annelena Morris who is now based here in Fernhill finished in 9th place in the CCI U25 section, though she needs to work on her show jumping this has put her well in contention for a place on the squad heading to Blair Castle for the Young Rider European Championships.
Fernhill Odea with Gary Parsonage onboard were 13th in the CCI 3 star after the most impressive round xc all day!! They look set to move up a level and we look forard to seeing them in Burghley this autumn.
Bolabaun with Geoff Curran riding for the Ministry of Defence was 14th in the CCI 2 star which qualifies him to move up a level. This is a horse I found for him last year and he seems to have formed a good partnership very quickly. An exciting combination for the future.
A special mention must go to Julie O’Neill and Fernhill By Night who finished on their dressage score and were 4th in the CCI 1 star class out of 104 competitors this was a class result. This horse is such a family pet, loved dearly by Mother Fran and Julie alike, they never fail to make me smile when I see them out at competitions.
So all in all Tatts was again a great competition with some great sport and top names. An exhausting but enjoyable week was had by all.
Crecora
Friday, June 3rd, 2011A new event on the calandar this year was held in Crecora Co Limerick.
Fraser headed off with wife Jo in charge of grooming duties and four horses on board.
It was a tough track on the xc and our horses coped well and resulted in two in the winners enclosure. Fernhill In Action won the CNC 1 star and Contenance won the O/CNC 1 star. Both did really smart dressage tests and posted double clear round in both jumping phases.
Fernhill Vriend our resident stallion was out for a pipe opener and ran H/C in the o/cnc 1 star, he would have won had he been in the competition proper so we were all well pleased with him on his first outing with Fraser on board.
Fernhill Ultimate did a stunning Dressage and was foot perfect in the sj, however an over keen jockey looking to win the class saw him glance off a couple of skinnies so he saves it for another day!! And this very talanted son of Garrison Royal will have his day.
News From USA
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011Congratulations to Nina Ligon with Fernhill Fearless on winning the CIC 3 star at Fairhill International Horse Trials.
Nina has really formed a great partnership with Sparkie and I hear great reports on how well she rides him cross country, full of confidence. Looks like London is well within their sights.
