The TRI Equestrian Grassroots Championships were hosted by the Fell family at Ballindenisk (13-14 July). The Grassroots Championships is now in it’s second year.
Fifty-five competitors headed to Ballindenisk for the weekend, and competition commenced with the dressage phase for all on Saturday afternoon. All competitors had made a huge effort to show an immaculate turnout in order to try and win the Best Turned Out prize which was sponsored by Aisling Deverell Photography. It was Lillymai Walsh with Chapel Hill Dark Spark, who took this award.
Irish Olympians, Mike and Trish Ryan gave a course walk on Saturday to advise the riders how to plan tackling the cross-country track.
EI100 (P) Grassroots Championship
Jonty Purcell with FHS Felicity. Winner of the EI100 (P) Grassroots Championship at Ballindenisk. Photo: Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times
Jonty Purcell riding the dun FHS Felicity finished on their dressage score of 28.3 to take the championship title in this section. This combination also placed 3rd in the EI100 (P) at Ballindenisk (2) last week.
EI100 (J) Grassroots Championship
Maeve Deverell with Annaharvey Dunowen. Winner of the EI100 (J) Grassroots Championship. Photo: Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times
Maeve Deverell riding the homebred Annaharvey Dunowen, is the 2024 EI100 (J) Grassroots Champion. This is the third victory for this combination, having won at Lisgarvan House (3) in May and then at Grove in June, where the combination finished on a remarkable dressage score of 18.3, the best finishing score so far this year.
Championship
Tom Hayden with Stillbrook Lizzie. Winner of the EI100 Grassroots Championship at Ballindenisk. Photo: Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times
Tom Hayden with Stillbrook Lizzie finished on their dressage score of 24.8, to become the 2024 EI100 Grassroots Champions.
EI100 Open Grassroots Championship
Ella Doddy with Herald of Milltown . Winner of the EI100 Open Grassroots Championship at Ballindenisk. Photo: Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times
Ella Doddy riding the 13 year old Puissance gelding Herald of Milltown won the EI100 (Open) Championship.
EI90 Grassroots Championship
Emma Ryan with Clonfin Sidneigh . Winner of the EI90 Grassroots Championship at Ballindenisk. Photo: Charles Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times
This was the fifth outing this year for Emma Ryan with the striking five-year-old dun gelding, Clonfin Sidneigh. Having won at Grove on their last outing, they now have added the 2024 Grassroots Championship title to the mix.
EI90 (P) Grassroots Championship
Lillymai Walsh with Chapel Hill Dark Spark. Winner of the EI90 (P) Grassroots Championship. Photo: Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times
Lillymai Walsh with Chapel Hill Dark Spark are the EI90 (P) champions. The combination have won two of their three EI appearances this year, to add to their very successful SJI results. Lillymai was also the winner of the “Best Turned Out”.
EI80 Grassroots Championship
Zach Watson with Toberpatrick Gentle Dove . Winner of the EI80 Grassroots Championship at Ballindenisk. Photo: Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times
Zach Watson riding Toberpatrick Gentle Dove was the only entry on this class, but successfully completed all phases to become the title holders of the 2024 EI80 Grassroots Champions.
EI80 (P) Grassroots Championship
Charlie Watson with Leamore Girl (CP) . Winner of the EI80 (P) Grassroots Championship. Photo: Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times
Charlie Watson with the connemara pony, Leamore Girl took the EI80 (P) title. A second win for the combination this year, having won the EI80 at Hazeldene (3) in May this year.
