THE North East Region of the Association of Irish Riding Clubs maintained its hold on The Irish Field dressage team challenge at the Festival in Stradbally Hall last Sunday but this time it was a quartet from Castle Hill who topped the leaderboard, bringing an end to Ashbrook’s dominance of the competition.

The successful foursome of Dayna Curtis (Cillnabradden Cuig), her sister Jeanine (Buddy Holly), Ruth Clinton (Ballustree Shy Boy) and Sarah Cassidy (Woodland Badger) were awarded a combined score of 230.32% from June O’Reilly and Damien McCormack, ahead of Newpark on 225.23 and one of three Ashbrook squads in the team event who were on 222.15.

All four members of Castle Hill keep their horses at Anne Stanley’s livery yard, The Barn, in Julianstown where they receive a lot of training from Niamh Mullen.

Although they mainly restrict themselves to riding club activities, Dayna Curtis, who has a law degree and a Masters in Criminology, is a regular competitor in Eventing Ireland amateur classes with Cillnabradden Cuig, a 12-year-old Crosstown Dancer half-sister to the three-star international eventer Cillnabradden Evo. Having been held up earlier in the season, Dayna hopes to qualify for the CNC1* Amateur championships at Tattersalls.

Jeanine Curtis currently works as a packaging specialist and consultant for Drogheda-based Hilton Foods. She previously worked in horse product development with Horseware, having started in the pharmaceutical industry. Jeanine rides the 18-year-old Tara Flight gelding Buddy Holly who she also competes in EI amateur classes.

Ruth Clinton, married to Drogheda-based politician and barrister Kevin Callen, is managing director of IAS Laboratories in Bagenalstown. The company carries out soil, grass, milk and crop testing for the agricultural sector nationwide along with water testing for the environmental industry. Ruth travels to Co Carlow on a weekly basis and rides the 11-year-old Ballustree Shy Boy in the evenings and at weekends.

Sarah Cassidy has been a full-time bar person for the past four years, working at her family’s Gilnas Cottage Inn, Laytown. She has owned the smashing 17-year-old cob Woodland Badger for the past 12 years and competes as often as can when getting time off from her busy job.

The Border Counties club didn’t fare as well as usual at the Festival this year and in Sunday’s fancy dress pairs, Gay Keenan (Cloncaw Smartie) and Roisin Dick (Colin Clover) had to give best to the Benbulben duo of Rachel and Anna Burke who topped the scoring with Rookery Blue and Rookery Sparkle respectively.

Isabel Hurley, editor of the Irish Horse World section of The Irish Field, was on hand to present the dressage prizes at the close of play on Saturday when the final competition was the musical ride.

This took place in front of the main house where four teams came before Geraldine Bellew and Michael Moore.

The winner’s Jungle Book theme went down well with judges and spectators as not only did the Earl’s Well troupe of Aimee Garrett, Eibhlin Foley, Gillian O’Connor, Kate O’Shea and Margaret O’Shea, have a super drill but they also wore brilliant costumes.