Tattersalls Horse Trials are no more so it is back to the sport’s traditional home at Punchestown for the final of Horse Sport Ireland’s (HSI) 2020 eventing series on 10 October. It was always a possibility that the Fairyhouse, Co Meath venue would never become a permanent horse trials location. Regardless of COVID-19, the unfortunate change in circumstances of the thoroughbred sales industry and the uncertain destiny of the venue’s eastern fields both mitigated against continuity and permanence.

They turned Tattersalls Horse Trials into a respected world-class event

That said, one has to be very grateful to Tattersalls and the event’s innovative committee for giving us 16 wonderful years at Fairyhouse. They turned Tattersalls Horse Trials into a respected world-class event good enough to host an FEI Nations Cup and attract some 15,000 punters each June bank holiday.

Traditional home

So, as I say, it is now back to the traditional home of Irish eventing at Punchestown – traditional that is ever since the first international CCI was held there back in 1966. Prior to that date, the Buller family at Scarva, Co Down, Joe Hume Dudgeon at Merville, Co Dublin, and the Conolly Carews at Castletown House played host to one and two-day trials as our first international event riders prepared to represent Ireland at Olympic Games in London (1948), Helsinki (1952), Stokholm (1956), Rome (1960) and Tokyo (1964).

Testing course

In 1966, as the Mexican Olympics loomed, Ireland’s first international CCI was held at Punchestown. There, in addition to the actual racecourse, some lands owned by the De Robeck family were used for a testing cross country course. Events were held there right through into the new millennium.

It hosted a World Championship in 1970 while in 1967 and again in 1991 it hosted the European Championships. One can happily recall Tommy Brennan’s quirky, imaginative and totally Irish cross country course for the latter event. Fences representing Newgrange, the Book of Kells, Knocknagow and the Boxer Donnelly were all included and some still remain.

The last points–gaining round takes place at Hillcrest on 3 October

That is the place to which Irish eventing will return for the final of the current HSI series. Already qualifiers have been held in Loughanmore, Lisgarvan House, Finvoy and Grove. The last points–gaining round takes place at Hillcrest on 3 October and the decider is scheduled for Punchestown on Sunday 10 October. One can only hope that this is a new beginning for Irish International eventing so that we can again witness a world class fixture on home ground that would attract competitors from around the globe and prepare our riders for more Olympic tests.