ALL roads in the South East led to Tinahely last Sunday, July 26th, for the AIRC South East National Dressage Championship Qualifier. With over 80 tests being ridden on the day, it was an exceptionally busy day with outstanding results across the board.

Following a successful weekend in Mullingar at the National Show jumping Championships, Warrington Riding Club once again secured victory at the qualifier with the team of Marie Louise Nolan (June Flight), Anne McGrath (Mananagh Heather), Claire Coonan (Lamogue Lady), and Françoise Foley-Fisher (Ragtime Lady) securing a combined team score of 422.86% for first place. They will now head to the National Dressage Championships in Mullingar on August 30th.Second place in the team event went to the Barrow Valley Blue team of Keith Smyth (Springsteen), Margaret Byrne (MHS Brillo), Catriona Doran (Macimor R) and Caoilfhionn Stoiri (Ballymakea Gamble) finishing on 419.03%.

Third place went to Thomastown & District 1’s Eva Brennan (Golden Knight), John O’Dwyer (My Oscar Wilde), Jessica Sinnott (Rambo (HPA) and Aisling Brett (Annaveigh Mac) with a total team score of 417.35%.

In fourth place were Barrow Valley Reds (414.81%), in fifth Tinahely (405.61%) and in sixth Thomastown & District 2 (404.03%).

Individuals

In the RCP1 section, Cheryl Keogh and Hudson Bay Lass for Kilcarrick took pole position with a combined average of 66.96% over two tests. Sophie O’Leary with Derrynalicka Spirit for Coole Lane finished in second, with a score average of 66.45%, while third place went to John O’Dwyer and My Oscar Wilde for Thomastown & District with a combination average of 63.04%.

In RCP2, Aoife Murphy and Sailors Hill for Horetown finished in first place, with an impressive combined average score of 72.11%. Second place went to Jessica Sinnott and Rambo (HPA) for Thomastown & District, finishing on an average of 71.22% over two tests, with Mia Ryan and Stoneman Paddy’s Cavalier for Nuenna Farm finishing in third on 70.61%. Fourth place went to Anne McGrath and Mananagh Heather for Warrington (70.16%), fifth to Barrow Valley’s Isobelle Gould and Foxy Furisto (69.73%), and sixth to Tinahely’s Emma Redmond with The Very Man (69.69%).

For the RCP3 section, Fidelma Curran claimed victory for Waterford with Ballyadam Philip on a combination score of 71.90%, narrowly ahead of Coole Lane’s Emily Slaven with Lugnaquila Lux on 71.33%. Third place in RCP3 went to Faith Jackson and Kilquinn Pride on home turf representing Tinahely averaging 71.06%, with fourth place given to Barrow Valley’s Keith Smyth and Springsteen with a score of 70.58%. Fifth place went to Claire Coonan and Lamogue Lady for Warrington (70.05%), and sixth to Harry Doran and Moyvalley Lad for Barrow Valley (69.22%).

In the equally competitive RCN, the highest average score of the day - 73.60% - went to Carne’s Melanie Hammel with Taylor Dandy. Warrington’s Marie Louise Nolan scored a closely fought second place with June Flight with a combined average of 71.21%. In third place was Thomastown & District’s Eva Brennan with Golden Knight (71.06%); in fourth, Waterford’s Louise Moran with Spirit Nala (70.35%); in fifth, Barrow Valley’s Caoilfhionn Stoiri with Ballymakea Gamble (68.44%), while sixth place went to Caoilfhionn with second mount Kildromin Mustaf (66.63%).Two riders battled it out in the RCE section with Rita Naughton emerging victorious with Actions Bond Girl W, representing Tinahely, averaging 67.72% over the two tests; while Thomastown & District’s Claire Farrell and Renneti finished in second, with an average of 67.02%.