PAUL Darragh's third placing with Princess Haya Bint al Hussein's Australian mare, Scandal, in yesterday's Grade A class at the Kerrygold Horse Show sealed his, successful defence of the Dan, Corry trophy, and earned the John Higgins trophy for the Jordanian princess.
The princess will spend the next three years competing on the international circuit under the guidance of Darragh, her personal trainer. She said yesterday it had initially been the wish of her father, King Hussein, that she should ride dressage horses. "He bought me my first dressage horse when I was six, but I used to try to make them jump. My sister breeds Arabians and I used to hijack them and try to jump them too."
Withdrawing from her scheduled competition on the advice of her trainer, Princess Haya's only official appearance in front of the Ballsbridge spectators yesterday was to accept the Higgins trophy.
The spotlight directed on the royal visitor and her trainer was shared yesterday with Darragh's Irish team mate, Peter Charles who produced the winning round with Dolly in yesterday's Grade A jump off, but was forced to give best by two points in the overall classifications, decided on the basis of performance over two days of competition.
Darragh had headed the field on, Wednesday with Scandal, a seven year old mare which last year secured Australia's qualification for the Atlanta Olympics. However, the talented thoroughbred did not line out in Georgia as she had by then been purchased for the princess, whose aim is to represent her country in the Sydney Olympics.
Not favoured by the draw in yesterday's class, Darragh produced the first of six clear rounds over the 11 fence track, and led the way in the timed round. Playing a tactical card, the Irish team member did not employ the mare's full pace in his round against the clock, opting instead for a safe clear in the hope that this would leave them sufficiently well placed to claim the overall honours. At this stage those ambitions seemed well placed, with only Peter Charles in a position to threaten Darragh's game plan.
The battle for the class honours was wide open however, and Darragh's shortlived lead was surrendered first to Erik Holstein (Sir Michael) and then to Peter Charles (Dolly), who turned in successively quicker times to claim first and second places. But Darragh's third placing left him on a two day total of 13 points and gave him a two point advantage over Charles in the race for the Higgins and Corry trophies.
The other main arena national class yesterday, for five year olds, went to a 12 horse jump off which was dominated from the outset by Captain Gerry Flynn and Rincoola Abu. Fifth to go in the jump off, the Army pair laid down a standard of a clear in 36.91 which relegated Brendan Ryan to the runner up slot with the stallion, Boherdeal Clover.
