Heidi Woodhead, one of a huge contingent of British-based riders making the pilgrimage across the Irish sea to the Fell family’s popular Ballindenisk event in County Cork, held her nerve to win her first FEI World Cup TM Eventing qualifier on her long-time partner, The Biz.

Despite the organisers’ best efforts, which included 36hrs’ continual work on the unavoidably sun-baked cross-country going, only 10 out of a possible 40 starters went across country. The withdrawals included Burnham Market winner Oliver Townend’s four entries after he was taken to hospital for observation after a fall in the CIC**.

Woodhead was left at the head of affairs after the dressage leader, Julie Tew (GBR), withdrew her Badminton horse Sir Roselier after show jumping clear (44.4 penalties).

Woodhead had lain joint second after dressage with Steven Smith (IRL) on Quality VH on 46.6, but Smith hit a rail and clocked 3 time penalties in the show jumping before bouncing back to finish eventual third (59.2). Woodhead, meanwhile, show jumped clear and added 5.6 cross-country time penalties to win.

Best of the Irish was Co Cork-based Michael Ryan on the veteran Old Road, who finished runner-up on a score of 56.7 after adding 3.6 cross-country time penalties to his dressage score of 53.1. Fourth was Clare Abbott (IRL) on Mandalious (72.9)

Riders who ventured across country said the going was better than expected. The reigning World Champion Zara Phillips (GBR) was fifth on the Irish-bred Ardfield Magic Star Clare, who was originally purchased from Co Cork-based Swiss rider Heinz Wehrli. She lay 8th after dressage (62.1), had two rails down but then climbed back up the order with 11.2 cross-country time penalties.

Clare Chamberlayne (GBR), riding the ex-racehorse Astronave, jumped a superb double clear round to overcome an unpromising dressage mark of 70.3 to finish sixth on 73.5 with the fastest cross-country time (3.2 penalties).

Woodhead (formerly Heidi Simmons), who last year married the international dressage trainer Ian Woodhead, is currently making a triumphant comeback from injury. She was kicked by a horse in December 2005 and missed all of last season, enduring several operations. She recently won a competitive advanced class at one of Britain’s major spring events, Belton, on the 12-year-old The Biz, whom has produced from a young horse.

“I have been riding him for so long that he can almost read my mind,” she has said. “Obviously spending so long on the sidelines watching has helped me! We missed the cut for Badminton, but that might have been just as well, and we will now go to Bramham instead.”

Full results on www.eventingireland.com

Woodhead is entered for Chatsworth (GBR), the next in the FEI World Cup series (May 12 & 13). Entries there include the 2005 FEI World Cup Champion Clayton Fredericks (AUS) riding The Frog and the first three-placed riders in Britain’s earlier FEI World Cup qualifier, Burnham Market: Oliver Townend, Matt Ryan (AUS) and Rodney Powell (GBR).

Entries and start times on www.bdwp.co.uk/cha.

Woodhead joins the six other riders, all qualifier winners this year, on 100 points behind the series leader Jonathan Holling (USA) on 138 points. Details: www.feiworldcup.org.