ON-SITE training for Horse Sport Ireland’s High Performance youth dressage squads resumed last Saturday and Sunday at Greenogue Equestrian.
“A specific application was made to Sport Ireland, and subsequently granted to the High Performance squads, to allow training recommence without having the travel restriction imposed,” reported HSI’s HP youth dressage manager, Anne Marie Dunphy. “I am delighted and thankful to Sport Ireland for providing such dispensation.”
Among those who attended Sunday’s session was Emily Kate Robinson who is unique among members of the squads as she works full-time in equestrianism and is breeding and producing young dressage horses at the family’s Bayview Stud on the outskirts of Waterford City.
The 21-year-old, who has two new sponsors this year in Gain and Plusvital, has three older brothers who were, or are, all into sport. “Shane was an international soccer player while Trevor is into Triathlon and cycling. They both rode as children but only myself and Jamie, who was a jockey and now breeds and produces thoroughbreds for the sales along with his partner, Laura Byrne, continued in the sport.
“I joined the Waterford Pony Club when I was eight and was particularly keen on mounted games, representing the Branch at the Irish Pony Club Festival in 2009 and 2010. I was on the Minimus team in 2011 and 2012, was a member of the dressage team from 2011 to 2013 and was on the Robbie Bailey show jumping team in 2013. Riding for the Branch was a great stepping-stone into competing as part of an international team.”
When younger, Robinson did a lot of hunting, hunter trials and showing and still loves to ride at the Dublin Horse Show where, on Bayview Hazel, she was fifth in the 158cms working hunter in 2018 and sixth in the side-saddle the following year.
“I got into dressage initially when Jamie and Laura gave me my first pony, Squirt,” revealed Emily. “She was a show pony who loved her flatwork so my love for dressage developed from there. I started competing with Dressage Ireland when I was 11 on the 11hh pony Bayview Sapphire with whom, in 2012, I won the Preliminary championship at the national Winter Finals and was fourth at the Hickstead Masters.
“I then moved on to Tisrara Hill (now a member of the broodmare band at Bayview Stud) on whom I won the Silver Spurs in 2013.
“Together we moved up from Novice to Pony FEI and, in 2015, we were third in BYRDS Home International, competed at our first CDI in Addington and were named as reserve for the European Pony Championships in Malmö.
“The following year, I was given the opportunity to train full-time with Judy Reynolds in Germany, bringing Tisrara Hill and Crown Imagine with me. There, I competed both ponies at national level, gaining our international qualifications. We competed at the Roosendaal CDI in Holland where we qualified both ponies for European selection.
“We then went to the Hagen CDI where Crown Imagine and I were part of Ireland’s first pony dressage Nations Cup team (along with Tara Hayes and Laura Dennehy (currently members of HSI’s High Performance development B squad with G Force BS and Fererro K respectively)) while Tisrara Hill competed in the CDIP, placing sixth in the Freestyle which was a great achievement.
“I was lucky enough to be named for the European Championships in Vilhelmsborg, Denmark with both ponies. I chose to ride Crown Imagine and we finished in 24th place, just narrowly missing out on the Freestyle!
“We then competed at Le Mans CDI in France, Zakròw CDI in Poland and Roosendaal CDI in Holland, picking up ribbons/placings against some hot competition. We finished the year ranked number 50 in the FEI world rankings for ponies.”
Progression
Robinson purchased her first horse, the Dutch Warmblood gelding Edvaard, at the end of 2017 and it is with this 2009 son of Christ that she was offered a place on the HP squad. “I have produced him from Novice to Prix St George. In 2018, we were second in the Advanced Medium Freestyle at the nationals and fifth in the Advanced in 2019.
“However, as we were progressing up the levels, I felt that he was a bit uncomfortable at times so we investigated further and discovered that he had a large OCD chip on his stifle. This was removed last June and since then we have been building him back up into full work. The plan is to get him out competing at PSG/Young Rider level this year.”
Robinson considers herself very lucky to have been part of the very first HSI youth dressage squad back in 2013. “It’s been amazing to see it progress over the years and see so many riders come on to the squad showing an interest in dressage! We find the training very beneficial. Anne Marie Dunphy is very knowledgeable and a great coach to work with. It has been wonderful growing up with her guidance through the squads.
“On a personal level, training hasn’t been a problem during lockdown as I still have regular zoom lessons with Judy without whose training and help I wouldn’t have got this far. She actually flew straight from the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016 to warm me up at the European Championships in Denmark. I am very grateful to her.”