DRESSAGE Ireland chair Marguerite Kavanagh was back in the competitive saddle at the Leinster Region’s show in the National Horse Sport Arena on Sunday.

Kavanagh recorded three wins – in the Advanced Medium (65.83%), where she finished alone, and, uncontested, in the Advanced (68.38) on the home-bred Irish Sport Horse gelding Fursten, a nine-year-old bay by Furstenball, while she then saw off three rivals when landing the Prix St George on her Dutch Warmblood mare Fidette (66.47), an 11-year-old chesnut by Westpoint.

The decision to have seven judges for this well-supported show proved a good one as it was extremely hot at the Blanchardstown venue where the action ran from 8am to 7pm. Dermot Cannon and Joanne Jarden judged those classes of Medium level and above, Cannon awarding his highest score of the day, 69.84, to Tara Hayes for her performance in the Medium DI65 on the Dutch Warmblood Ferrero K.

Second here with Esdals King WA (67.81), Lucy Adams filled the same position on 65.43 in the Jarden-judged Medium DI77 behind Deirdre Byrne and the Dutch Warmblood eight-year-old, Indigo-Perrado (67.14). Jarden also judged the three Trailblazers’ classes where a dual winner was Lexie O’Byrne White riding the Belgian Warmblood mare Quibelle van de Vlindervallei, a five-year-old by Messi Of Colors.

Completed by Ganesh (65) in the Intermediaire II, Kevin Acres initiated a double in the Mairin Cassidy-judged Preliminary DI6 on Woodcroft Maestro (74.62) but, on 73.96 in the Christina Keane-judge Preliminary BD19, they could only finish second to Emma Kiernan and Mystical Meg (74.17).

At Novice level, the winners were Elizabeth Frayling on Bedelia (73.06) and Mairead Dolan riding Master Touch (70.34) while the Elementary classes went the way of Lucy Zieg on San Royale (70.63) and Laragh Byrne with Steendieks Dali Gold (72.50). Byrne also had a good day in the Junior classes on her young Connemara Oxhill Buí, a five-year-old dun by Ross Fear Bui.

For the second time in two weeks, Jane Whitaker travelled south westwards from north Co Dublin to judge at Sunday’s North Munster Region show, this one taking place at Clonlara Equestrian Centre where the more locally-based Ann Glynn and Maire Hennessy were also on duty.

In addition to the Intro and Trailblazers’ sections, Whitaker judged two Preliminary classes. In the DI5, Elena Satalkina claimed the top two spots on Juno (70%) and Argo Lancelot (69.66), while in the DI6, the 70% score earned by Katie Zubeyko on Roulette was bettered by the 71.92 awarded to Clíona Ní Liatháin riding the 14-year-old ISH mare Donnrua Diamond. Marie Hennessy judged the Preliminary BD15, won by Georgina Spain on Rantum Scoot (69.20).

Cazabons shine

The Cazabons had a successful day, Siobhan winning the Novice DI21 with CBD Tasman Able (69.66) and both the Medium DI65 (65.63) and the Advanced Medium DI90 (65) on CB Let It Be (65). Riding the well-known Connemara gelding Carn Verdon Boy (by Ferdia), Alana recorded an uncontested victory in the Intermediaire I where regional chair, Donie McNamara, awarded her a score of 66.76. The combination had to settle for second (65.53) behind Sue Smallman and Gloriant H (67.06) in the Prix St George.

Among the day’s other winners were Anna Dangerfield with Coedfryn Cavalier (72.74) in the Novice BD38, Grainne Murphy on Make Me Smile (69.17) in the Elementary DI52 and Tracy Murphy on board Nino Manoso (66.69) in the second Elementary class, the BD57.