THE North Munster Region of Dressage Ireland held its second show of the year last Friday at the Clonshire Equestrian Centre in Co Limerick where the action got underway at 2pm in both arenas.

Eight combinations came before Ann Glynn in the Elementary BD43 where, remarkably, Aisling Deverell dead-heated on a score of 69.31% with her two rides, Annaharvey Firefly (who was first to compete) and Annaharvey Dunowen. Bethany Mackey was third on Bliss (68.97).

Deverell later partnered the eight-year-old Radolin gelding Annaharney Dunowen (68.87%) to see off her sole rival, Sinead McGrath on Ballyj Elsa (65.97) in the Vida Tansey-judged Novice DIN23. However, on board Annaharvey Firefly, a similarly aged mare by Floriscount, the Tullamore rider had to settle for second (66.55) in the Tansey-assessed Medium BD61 behind Lucy Cusack with Gavelle Ter Kwincke (67.93).

On 62.58%, Cusack and her 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Chopin Ter Kwincke claimed the two-runner Advanced Medium BD92 ahead of McGrath on Killard Precision (60). Ballinrobe-based McGrath was rewarded for her afternoon’s efforts when, in the Novice DI27, she and Ballyj Elsa (66.03), a six-year-old Spirit House mare, turned the tables on their Roscrea conquerors, Padraig Quinn and Ellistown Morgan (65.86).

These two classes were also judged by Tansey as was the Elementary DIE55 where she awarded her only score on the day over 70% to local competitor Tara Oliver and the Irish Draught mare Ballymacmague Swallow (71.07), an 11-year-old by Toher Lad. Here, Anne Croome Carroll finished second on Diamond Culture (66.61).

Comfortable win

Kate Kerr Horan was the only competitor in the Para Grade III FEI Individual test where Tansey awarded her a score of 68.97% on Serafina T while, on 69.26, she and her 10-year-old Rossgold Sunstar mare were comfortable winners of the team test over Tara Flynn and Sirius (56.76).

There was a repeat success in the Preliminary BD15 for Shirley Mullins and Gortfree Rebel. This combination had achieved a score of 67.80% when appearing before Michael Moore five days earlier in Roscrea but, last Friday, Mullins topped Ann Glynn’s leaderboard on 71.40 with her eight-year-old Irish Draught mare by Gortfree Hero.

Second here on 71.20%, Sandra Hammersley and Drop The Pilot had earlier won the Glynn-judged Preliminary DIP8 on 70.96 ahead of Elaine Kinsella and Knocklucas Eclipse (67.88). This was a third outing of the year for Hammersley and the seven-year-old Galant Cavalier gelding who, on their first Dressage Ireland starts, had won at the two Leinster Region shows in Greenogue Equestrian.