THE KBIS British young horse event championships at Osberton last weekend proved a happy hunting ground for Irish connections. Senior riders Austin O’Connor, Aoife Clark and Jonty Evans were in at the business end of several classes, while Irish breeding was prominent throughout.

The standout performance of the weekend undoubtedly belonged to the Irish-bred six-year-old AKD Corline, who, ridden by British international Piggy French, walked away with the CIC*YH class for six-year-olds.

A champion at the same venue two years ago, Belinda Keir’s grey gelding completed on his dressage score to head Nicola Wilson on JL Dublin, and also Kitty King with Drewmain Firefly.

The impressive son of Corland was sourced as a four-year-old from Kilkenny-based producer Roddy Dean, who in turn had bought him from his Armagh breeder, Anna Dillon, at Goresbridge sales.

A fervent supporter of the Irish horse, French also filled fourth with Carnival March (by Carnival Cavalier) who is a full-brother to this year’s RDS young event horse winner Brookfield Carnival Cruise.

Also looking good was Jonty Evans who, despite tipping a pole, completed in eighth spot with his Le Lion d’Angers ride John The Bull (Luidam).

Earlier in the day, Austin O’Connor had teamed up with Money Talks (by Cashpoint) to land a good third placing in the four-year-old championship. Completing on his dressage score, he finished behind the winner Virginia Turnbull (Just Soda No Ice) and also the Irish-bred gelding Max McInerney ridden by Vicky Tuffs.

The latter, who was bought at Goresbridge as a three-year-old, is a son of Quality Time and, although formerly known as Max The Banner Boy, is now named after his Co Clare-based breeder Mary McInerney.

Irish breds were dominant in the five-year-old line up, which was headed by Dani Evans with Hollywood Dancer. Go For Gold graduates Kroon Freddie (Kroongraaf) and MBF Harley (Harlequin du Carel) impressed in third and fifth, as did Monbeg Odyssey who filled seventh.

In the seven-year-old CIC2* championship, the honours went to Bubby Upton and Cola III, but close up in second was Aoife Clark with Calling Card. Clark’s German-bred son of Caretino (dam by Heraldik) had led the dressage, but was demoted after clocking up a few costly time faults in the country.

Clark was nevertheless delighted with the youngster, who she sourced from Italian rider Giovanni Ugolotti at the start of the year. “I think he’s a proper one,” she said afterwards.

“He is inexperienced at the level, and has a very big stride. As a result he makes up distances easily, so at this stage I didn’t want to rush him out of his comfort zone.”

Clark completed just ahead of William Fox-Pitt with the consistent Irish-bred Shannondale Percy (Shannondale Sarco), while British rider Yasmin Ingham held a very creditable fifth place with the former Aoife Quigley-owned Rehy DJ, by Tinaranas Inspector.