Ardeo Gold taking the win for the 3rd week in a row at the Stepping Stones to Success league at Wexford Equestrian Centre. Leading by 14 marks this week on a score of 200!

Irish Field Article Week 2

Melanie Wrynn won the five-year-old division for the second week in-a-row at the Stepping Stones to Success league qualifier

THE need for young event horse producers to get some experience into their stock in this strangest of seasons saw increased numbers in the Childeric-sponsored classes at the second qualifier in the Stepping Stones to Success league held at Wexford Equestrian on Tuesday.

However, although she faced four more opponents this week, the Dutch Warmblood mare Ardeo Gold again won the final five-year-old division. The bay, ridden by Melanie Wrynn for husband Neil, topped the scores in both the dressage (55.8) and jumping (144.5) phases for a total of 200.3 points.

Six points adrift of the winner, but well clear of the remainder in the 24-runner class, Nicky Roncoroni finished second with Stall Hurst’s grey Harlequin du Carel gelding, Rock ABC. This combination also placed second in the four-year-old section of the Dubarry Burghley young event horse finals last September.

Ardeo Gold, who was bred by Keulen-Wiersma and J.H. Keulen out of the Lupicor mare Aurora, is regarded as being “a bit special” by the Wrynns who sourced the daughter of Numero Uno at the beginning of the year from Fernhill Sport Horses’ Carol Gee.

“She is so professional that, at an unaffiliated event in Rosanna, she never flinched when a loose horse galloped through our dressage arena,” revealed Melanie. “She is extremely straightforward to train and so I have been rather enjoying the journey! The plan would be for her to finish out the Stepping Stones league and, from there, to go show jumping and eventing. We would be aiming to run her in an EI110 before the end of the season.”

As mentioned last week, the Wrynns, and their Ardeo Sport Horses yard, were among those featured in these pages during the lockdown while another was John Bannon who, on Tuesday, narrowly won the Childeric four-year-old qualifier on his own Cullintra Tactical Move.

The Co Meath auctioneer and valuer only received a score of 48.4 points from the day’s dressage judge, Liam Maloney, for his test with the bay but comfortably topped the jumping phase marks (143.5) to take the honours on a total of 191.9. Sara Hakala finished second on the Concreto gelding Lancreto (190.7) who is owned and was bred by the rider’s Finish compatriot, Meri Harrila.

Irish Field Article Week 3:

Wrynn hat-trick

The Numero Uno mare Ardeo Gold, ridden by Melanie Wrynn for husband Neil, brought up a hat-trick of victories in the Childeric five-year-old class on Tuesday afternoon, this time winning by a near 15-point margin.

The Dutch Warmblood bay dominated the 20-strong section. She topped the dressage marks on 59.8 points, while her nearest rival at this stage, the ISH gelding Moystown St Ghyvan (Lindsay Graham), was on 56. She then really impressed Wardell and Fearon who awarded her 141 points for a total of 200.8. The jumping performance of the Daisy Duggan-owned and ridden Good Luck VDL gelding, Aughavore Lucky Boy saw him finish second both in that phase (133.5) and overall (186).

Other producers of five-year-olds will be pleased to learn that Ardeo Gold, who is out of the Lupicor mare Aurora, will not be attending next Tuesday’s Viewing Day at Wexford Equestrian. While her rivals’ rounds are being recorded by IrishSport.tv, the Wrynns’ mare will be at home at their Ardeo Sport Horses yard in Co Wicklow being freshened up for the final on Tuesday week, August 18th.