Austin O’Connor in front at Tattersalls International Horse Trials as Irish riders dominate leaderboard

Austin O’Connor (pictured above), holds the lead with Kilpatrick Knight (ISH)(TIH) on  score of 42.30 penalties, with Jonty Evans in second place riding Cooley Rorkes Drift (ISH) on 43.30. Padraig McCarthy is in third spot with Bernadette Utopia, while the only non-Irish rider in the top 10, New Zealander Tim Price, is in fourth place with another Irish Sport Horse, Ringwood Sky Boy.

Many of Ireland’s Olympic shortlisted riders are inside a tightly-packed top 20, ahead of the Cross Country phase at Tattersalls on Saturday.

In The Irish Field CCI3* class, Padraig McCarthy is the best-placed Irish rider in second position with Mr Chunky, while in the Red Mills Under 24 competition, Kerri Lyons holds 10th place with Olympic Cool and Aidan Keogh is in sixth place in the CC12* class with Pride of Treadstep.

Tattersalls International Horse Trials and Country Fair, in association with Horse Sport Ireland, continues through to Sunday with plenty of action for all the family over the weekend with a free Kids Zone, Tractor Ted, over 100 shopping outlets and food to make your mouth water.