Fernhill Sport Horse Blog

Vacancy 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.

Its 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.

A 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.

Congratulations must go to Chloe Newton and the stunning Fernhill Nearly Darc on winning the Burghley Young Event horse qualifier at Chatsworth. This is one of the most competitive qualifiers on the calendar and I am sure this is not the last thing we will see this Son of Sarco/Clover Hill win this year.
Fernhill Pimms whom I own jointly with my good friend Catherine Witt won a Novice section with Duarte on board and looks well set up for his trip back to Ireland to Tattersalls International next week. I am sure the Creighton Family who bred him will be in attendance for the week supporting him as they follow his progress closely.

Its a few years since I last competed in Annaharvey as it has clashed with something or other somewhere else, usually Chatsworth in England. However this year I decided to stay on home turf and make the trip to Offaly and ride the Pre-Novice horses leaving Fraser free to concentrate on the bigger classes.
I was well impressed with the improvements since my last visit here both to the going and the course.
Fraser had Major Furisto in the Red Mills Super League open Two star. This horse just goes from strength to strength and after a stunning dressage test and a double clear in the jumping phases he finished in 2nd place. Just pipped by Katie O’Sullivan on the very experienced Shannondale Que by less than a penalty. Katie was the only rider to make the xc time in this section. The scoreboard reflected the difficulty of the xc track showing that just half of the competitors in this class actually completed. In the normal Two Star the completion figures were considerably less.
I had three entries in the Pre Novice so was kept busy all day. All three horses jumped double clear and did lovely dressage tests so i was well pleased with my days work.
My latest edition Fernhill Friendly Juan a son of my Stallion Fernhill Vriend made his debut in the 4/5 year old section and confirmed my thoughts that he really is going to be quite something by winning the class.
Fernhill Whatever added 3 time penalties to his dressage score so ended up 5th in his section and Fernhill Ruby was 8th finishing on her dressage score.
It was great to see Xifon an ex Fernhill In-mate partnered by Michael Geiger son of Poala a regular dressage judge finish 3rd in the junior C class. Michael has soon formed a great partnership with this lovely mare and with regular help from Fraser I think we are going to be seeing more of them in the results.
Xifon is a sister of Fernhill Urco, Xiquissimo an Fernhill Viper showing just what a talented family this breed are.