THE Dressage and Combined Training League at Raheen Na Gun, Co Kilkenny, saw bumper entries culminating in an exciting final.
The Dressage League was generously sponsored by TRI Equestrian.
Ellie Rogan riding JP Rogan’s Creevla Penny Rose was a runaway winner on 83%. She scooped the honours from runner-up Zoe Shannon’s Tabita Mini Minx ridden by Lennon Moloney on 74% followed by Daphne Scholt’s Tallares Whiskey Mac and Lucy Byrne in third on 71.5%
Tanya Kent won the First Ridden section on her mother Marie Claire Van Hout’s 16.2hh gentle giant Montalbano, scoring an impressive 70%. Fay Noonan won the RNG 6 class riding Bianca Lennon’s Just Delicious on 62.27%.
In the DI P4 class, the final went to Rachel O’Connell’s Manny and Saffron Wells on 74.8% from Fiona Dunne and the evergreen Kelly Clover (73.2%). Jason Dunne’s young horse Oh Grand Master ridden by Cindy Wagner slotted into third on 72.4%.
In the DI N23, Aine O’Loughlin’s scores improved every week on Heatherville Moss, winning the class with a very respectable 69.88%.
Raynal Cunningham brought her lovely Kilhara Boy back from semi-retirement to scoop the E50 class with an impressive 74.48% from Marie Claire Van Hout riding Montalbano with a superscore of 72.41%.
The FEI one-star test was won by Super Jumbo and Maresa Ronan, scoring a massive 79.91%.
COMBINED TRAINING
The Combined Training was ever popular and with new sponsors HorseRail Ireland on board, there was plenty to play for across all the classes.
All the tiny tots jumped clear rounds in the lead rein so it was down to the dressage to divide the prizes. The winner was Andy Kennedy on David Byrne’s My Starlight completing on a dressage score of 24, from second-placed Sara Kerwick’s Veejays Chatterbox and Victoria Kerwick competing in her first ever league on her dressage of 25, followed in third by Ted Bjoremark Deegan on Maifield Starry Knight.
A closely contested First Ridden 30cms class saw Ellie Rogan made it a double on JP Rogan’s Uppercott Xotica with a higher collective in the dressage from Isabelle Seale and Stawberry Romeo, both on 26.5 and clear show jumping. Third went to Eliana Hudson completing also on her dressage of 27, fourth went to Sarah Kerwick and Camilla Kerwick riding Veejays Chatterbox and finally Chloe Doyle completed the line-up with Minister.
Rachel Menton took the 40cms class with Bailey with a 24 dressage and clear show jumping round with a 10-penalty lead over runner-up Abi Byrne and Tallares Whiskey Mac. Eliana Hudson on Lucky were third, while fourth went to Paddy Byrne and Crumpwell Blue Lucky.
In the 50cms class, My Starlight featured again, this time with sister Evie Kennedy, winning on dressage of 25.91 from Lucy Lennon riding Bailey in second on 33.19. Lucy Doyle on Cherry took third in 35.5, claiming a higher collective in the dressage from Paddy Byrne and Rookery Fizz who were fourth (35.5). Abi Byrne on Bryngwennol Reflection took fifth.
Sam Doyle scooped the 60cms class on Cherry with a clear round and dressage score of 30.46 from Tamara Perry in second on 35.
Tiggy Hancock secured a one/two in the 70cms class posting super clear round jumping and completing on her dressage scores with Glenagh First Edition 23/0 and Noble Tooreen Lass 25/0 from third-placed Kelly Byrne and Connemara stallion Inisowen (25.5/0). Fourth went to Parcglas Splendid Rainbow and Esta Roche (26/0) and Hannah Murphy and Collalingo Rebel were fifth (31/0).
In the 80cms class, the winner was Hazel Barden, scooping a clear round on Kilnaspic Lily and completing on her dressage score of 27 from Rosshaven Lux ridden by Lisa Peters. Third place went to Michelle Gazely on Shafts Ballinguiry Star, followed home in fourth by Kym Marrett on her new mount Boxhall Lady, with Carly Walsh and Passo completing the line-up.
In the 90cms, Little Topper lived up to his name for Suzy Davis scoring an impressive 22.5 dressage and clear show jumping round followed closely by Tiggy Hancock and Clonross Giselle, also clear and completing on 24.5.
The last of the clear rounds went to Jacqueline Murphy and Inspector Imp in third (30/0). Sarah Kerwick completed in fourth on her new ride Cruisings Pet, fifth went to Laura Ryan and Monmurray Serendipity and Sarah Jane Weissenbach followed home in sixth place aboard CeCe.
DEAD HEAT
The large one-metre class was divided. In section A, there were no clear rounds from qualified riders in the league and a near divide of the winners was only on the higher collective dressage mark scored by Katie Wyse on Frederick with a fantastic dressage of 23.5 and a pole down to complete on 27.5 from Pauline Cahill on Glencairn Sixpence. Third went to Hans Kuehnle’s Tullibards Sixth Sense ridden by Brian Kuehnle and fourth went to Blanche Sterling on Leon.
In section B, there was a dead heat between Polly Holohan riding Bobby and Michael Moloney’s Tara Brown (TB) ridden by Pauline Dahill. Both riders duly received the prizes generously sponsored by HorseRail Ireland. Jack Carr slotted into third riding Borneo and Pauline Dahill completed the line-up with Tatton Cross (TB) after an unlucky pole down jumping. The best thoroughbred horse in this class went to Tara Brown and her mount.
In the 1.10m class, Sarah Lang completed a one/two aboard her two horses KEC Diamante (27/0) and RNG Vantage Point (30/0), both completing on their dressage scores with clear jumping rounds. Third went to Pauline Dahill riding the stallion Lucky Rebel (31/0) and fourth went to Carol Gee’s Fernhill Silk, ridden by Xanthe Goldsack (31.5/0).
Winner of the 1.20m class, with an impressive dressage score of 25.5, was Jim Tyrell and Rock Gift.
In the FEI one-star one-metre class, Romy McCarthy completed a double with Mac and Cara. It was very tight at the top in the FEI one-star 1.15m class and Charlotte Teehan and Knockenpower Minnie secured the hard fought win on a super dressage of 27.27 with a higher collective mark to pip Brian Kuehnle on his new ride, the Carol Gee-owned Fernhill First Lady into second and also Gee’s Rickmore Rafferty in third.