MARLTON Stud was the venue for the South Leinster Region’s AIRC dressage qualifier on Sunday. While the day started with rain, it did dry up fairly quickly and the conditions were balmy for the rest of the day, resulting in competitors being allowed to ride without jackets.

A good entry of 10 teams plus individuals produced 137 tests which were judged by Michael Moore, Mairin Cassidy, Claire Fitzsimons and Vicky Clooney, using three arenas.

Team scores were very close and, at the halfway point, Hollybrook had nosed ahead of Foxborough by a mere 0.7% while the second Hollybrook team, one of the Greenvalley teams and Brooke Lodge were only a little over 1% point behind.

All to play for in the second tests and Hollybrook held their nerve and the team of Joanne Logue (Little Lottie), Roisin McMackin (Courcel Queen Bee), Amanda MacGowan (Calliaghstown Flight) and Helen Webb (Belline Princess India) came out on top with a final score of 70.76%.

Brooke Lodge overtook Foxborough producing a final result of 70.57% and Foxborough came in third with 69.71% - in effect a mere 1% between these three teams. As there were 10 teams taking part, these three will represent South Leinster in the finals at Mullingar in August.

Tough competition

Individual qualification is required for the RCP2, RCP3 and RCN grades and, again, there was tough competition here. Ruth Abbott with CCS Banksy Moon won the RCP2 grade, closely followed by Danielle Cullen (Clonough) and Hasenacher Forrest Gump, with Greenvalley’s Niall Kearny (Doogary Dude) taking the third qualifying slot.

Eighteen entries in the RCP3 class gave competitors a lot to ride for and, after two tests were added up and percentages done, Celia Taylor and her Mistral Rose came to the top for Brooke Lodge, followed by Hollybrook’s Courcel Queen Bee and Roisin McMackin, while the third slot went the way of another Hollybrook rider – Lisa Devine and Tinkerbelle.

While the entry was lower (12) in the RCN, competition was no easier and emerging as winners were Killegar’s Jillian Southern and Ardmount Rio, with Louise Lynn and Paulank Brockagh in second place and Kate Fortune and Gilanolinde for Enniskerry taking the final slot.

It was a long day’s judging and the Committee extended their thanks to the judges and particularly the volunteers who did trojan work, scribing, calling up and scoring for the day. All roads now lead to Mullingar.