Riding her veteran campaigner Ben Hymn, she finished over 2% ahead of second-placed Marguerite McSweeney. With Salancio, a gelding she has produced through the grades herself and who only recently made his Grand Prix debut, McSweeney could not prevent Adams’ clean sweep of both the Inter II and the Grand Prix.

Giving his rider further reason to celebrate was another of Adams’ rides, Get-Set, as he earned third place in the small tour championship on an average of 68.82%. Marks were tight at the business end of this class, with Amanda Goldsbury and Kate Dwyer only being separated by collectives after the first day’s Prix St Georges. However, Dwyer edged ahead in Sunday’s Inter I to win by 0.25% on board Snowden Faberge, who impressed on only his third run at this level.

Goldsbury also enjoyed much success at the lower levels over the weekend. Riding the New Zealand-owned grey gelding VSH Eddy, she topped both the prelim and novice category two championships on marks in excess of 70%. The five year old was imported from Holland by Comber-based Vision Sport Horses earlier this year and looks to have a promising future under his new rider.

Filling second and third in the preliminary championship behind Goldsbury was the leading rider of the show and reigning winter under-25 champion, Rachel Dowley. Second in Saturday’s class on the striking black son of Gribaldi, Dutch, it was her other ride, Edward, who came to the fore in Sunday’s equivalent to win that test with the highest score of the show, 81.25%. The five-year-old bay gelding, by the now deceased sire Passion, was sourced from Kilkenny-based show jumper Eddie Moloney and took everything in his stride despite competing at only his second dressage competition.

Dowley rounded off her successful weekend by winning the medium championship on board Mickey Purcell’s Hochadel gelding, Cadens. Despite being new to this level, the Anne Marie Dunphy-trained partnership came from behind to win Sunday’s test 75 on an unassailable mark of 67.03% which was enough to see them take the title.

Focused

“I was delighted with all my rides over the weekend, although staying focused through eleven tests over two days was a challenge” said Dowley afterwards. “Dutch is a new ride for me as I have only had him for two weeks, so he definitely exceeded expectations, and I was pleased that Edward received really positive comments from the judges. Cadens’ test on Sunday was the highlight of my weekend, as he felt more secure in the work and is becoming stronger and more expressive all the time, thanks to consistent training with Anne Marie Dunphy and nutritional advice from Topspec. I’m also grateful for the continuing support of Tredstep Ireland”.

Belinda Brereton improved upon her second place in the medium championship to take the top prize at advanced medium with her smart chestnut gelding Captain Negro C. This partnership are reigning winter champions at this level, and enjoy regular training with Carl Hester.

Interestingly, these good results from both Cadens and Captain Negro C reflect how young horses are being systematically and successfully produced in Ireland, as these horses were national five-year-old champion and reserve champion respectively in 2012 and are now progressing up the levels.

The Susi Hirsch-trained Laura Hagger topped the advanced championship on board Motown, while Ruth Chadwick was second on another horse sourced abroad by Vision Sport Horses, VSH Absolut Turbo.

Although the Summer Festival had been ear-marked as a possible leg of the FEI pony dressage league that HSI high performance manager Anne Marie Dunphy is using to prepare the squad members for Millstreet, exams and an unfortunate breakdown put paid to this class. However the only rider qualified for the Pony European Championships to make it to the show, Linnea Larkin, enjoyed a rewarding weekend. Riding her international campaigner Goofy, she finished third in the medium championship as well as gaining good scores when practising the FEI pony tests. Another member of the squad, Roisin Muirhead, finished first and third in the junior novice championship. Separating her two rides, Phoenix Firefly and Dunsallen, was another promising pony rider, Sophie Walshe. With Loughfadda Horseleap Bruno, she is currently lying third in the pony section of the Silver Spurs.

Dunphy was quick to compliment Linnea and Roisin for their strong performances, as well as Emily Kate Robinson who won Saturday’s class in the elementary category one championship.

“Roisin produced consistent work with both ponies and is growing in confidence all the time. Linnea and Emily Kate also showed great competitive spirit and gave the senior riders a run for their money,” she remarked. “All three fought for every point and show a lot of promise for the future.”

POPULAR

Entries at this show were large enough to justify splitting all championships at elementary and below according to rider category, which was a popular decision with the riders. Brennanstown-based Gerald Bloomer won the elementary category two championship with the promising Kilpatrick Cruise, while David Freeney won the category one equivalent with CLS Hildago. Ellen McKeown was second to Freeney at this level, and also to A test holder Siobhan Schous and Derryvinane Herbie at novice, while Micheal Boyd won the preliminary category one championship. Riders were unanimous in their praise of the Delahoyde family’s venue and organisation, a task made all the harder by a British-based judge cancelling at very short notice. Irish judges Lucinda Webb-Graham and Jillie Rogers stepped into the breach to offer their services.