After the dramas of Burghley last weekend, four of Ireland's European championship squad have back-pedalled several levels and now face another four days of competition at the Balcas international at Necarne Castle in Co Fermanagh. Last week's European championships, which are officially supposed to run over a three-star cross-country, were considered by many to be closer to the maximum four-star rating. Necarne, however, is at the opposite end of the spectrum, with both one and two-star sections designed for horses just starting out on their international careers.
Lucy Thompson relinquished her open European title on the Burghley cross-country when parting company with her gold medalwinning mare Welton Romance at the Dairy Cobwebs after an unlucky stumble. But the Kent-based rider, who declared for Ireland in 1995, now hopes for a better result at Necarne.
Thompson, who damaged her kidneys in a fall with Welton Lady in April, is only just back to 100 per cent fitness after an operation to remove kidney stones in mid-July. The fall at Burghley did nothing to help her recovery rate, but she claims she is more than ready for the Necarne challenge.
She now has the leg-up on Mrs Asprey's Gold Dust III, the eight-year-old which took the Punchestown national honours in May, and will be campaigning in the Balcas two-star here.
Alfie Buller, who was desperately disappointed at being left off the Irish team at Burghley, more than proved his point to the selectors when galloping Sir Knight to a brilliant cross-country clear only just outside the optimum time. He has a double handful for Necarne, with the eight-year-old Strong Gale gelding My Home Town for the two-star and the grey Syd for the one-star class.
Mark Kyle and Jane O'Flynn, who both had unlucky falls at Burghley on their championship debuts, are also back in action at the Necarne fixture. Kyle rides Christy Moloney's Bright Spark in the two-star and will be crossing swords with O'Flynn, who is bidding for her third Necarne success, this time with Margaret Browne's Dancing Fox.
The Irish face a strong challenge from the large British contingent, but last year's winner, Kristina Gifford, has not returned to defend her title. In fact, the British group was depleted by one when Bryony Robinson's Flo Knott was lame at the first horse inspection yesterday afternoon and was withdrawn in the holding area.
A similar fate met Ian Gault's Fighting Talk in the one-star, but all 34 runners presented for inspection in the Mahon's Hotel junior competition were passed fit and sound. With a total of 134 runners in the three sections, the organisers will be hoping that the weather - routinely unkind to this fixture - will stay dry for Saturday's feature cross-country.
