COURTNEY Akkari recorded a treble from four rides at the Dressage Ireland Northern Region show held at Laurel View on Sunday, starting in the morning in Arena 1 where she won both Advanced Medium level classes judged by Dermot Cannon (List 1).
On board her 10-year-old brown Warmblood gelding Favorino (Follow Me - Freya, by Friedenfurst), Akkari achieved a score of 68.09% in the four-runner FEI Junior Individual test before moving up to 69.03 in the BD6 where, following withdrawals, she saw off two rivals.
Later in the day in Arena 2, but again in front of Cannon, Akkari scored 71.48 to comfortably top the overall leaderboard in the five-strong Elementary DI51 with her much-admired Hanoverian gelding Bernabeo (Benico - Strawberry, by Sir Donnerhall I). In the second Elementary class, the BD5 which was judged by Coreen Abernethy (List 4) and attracted four starters, Akkari and her chesnut five-year-old were out of luck as, on 64.53, Linda McIlwaine claimed the honours on board her year-older Irish Sport Horse gelding Roundthorn Oreo (Vittorio - Amour Roundthorn, by Sandreo).
Cannon judged the remaining higher graded classes but wasn’t under too much pressure.
At Medium level, the sole starter, and thus winner on 66.72 of the DI65, was Lisa Dundee riding Patricia Connon’s home-bred ISH mare RoundThorn Nice N Easy (Formidable - Unlimited Roundthorn, by 00 Seven). On 63.50, Dundee and the seven-year-old had to settle for second in the two-runner BD5 where the marginally higher score of 63.83 was achieved by Sharon Getty on the 11-year-old former event mare Taptoo (Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan - Pat Clover, by Ricardo Z).
Barbara Ellison rode her eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Moonlight (Glocks Toto Jr - Veronique, by Negro) in both Advanced classes. She recorded an uncontested victory on 61.81 in the BD2 but was beaten into second (61.72) in the BD1 by her sole opponent, Lucy Adams, who posted a score of 65.31 with her Dutch-bred 12-year-old New Forest gelding Esdals King WA (Reekamps - Eclips - Elshofs Lindy).
Cannon awarded a score of 64.61 to Lucinda Blakiston Houston, the only starter in the Para Grand Prix B with her 15-year-old black mare Beltrim Double G.
Cherry on top
Abernethy judged the two best-filled classes of the day at Preliminary level. In the seven-runner DI6, her overall leaderboard was headed by Debbie Cherry on her 10-year-old roan cob Kilmullen Pebbles (69.81) with Jill Hobson comfortably claiming the top spot on 71.19 in the six-strong BD6 on board her seven-year-old thoroughbred gelding Guest (Acclamation - Magic Minor, by Montjeu).
The two Novice classes were also judged by Abernethy. The three-runner DI21 was won on a score of 68.97 by Bronagh Stevenson riding another thoroughbred gelding, the 12-year-old Squeak’s Bubble (Aristotle - Tuney Tulip, by Taipan) with Alexandra Ryan scoring 68 on her nine-year-old Connemara gelding Ambition (Drumbad Fletcher Moss - Bobby’s Girl, by Bobby Joe).
Annie Morrow was the sole starter in the two dedicated Junior classes. In the Preliminary DI6, where she rode both horses, she won on her mother Kathy’s seven-year-old palomino gelding Liberty’s Benjamin (69.42) whose sole rival and stable-companion, Don Pablo, recorded an uncontested victory under Morrow in the Novice DI21 (62.41).
In the Try Dressage classes, Abernethy’s winners were Lizzy Taylor and Chester (75 in the Junior Intro Test C and 69.42 in the Junior Preliminary) and, in the adult classes, Jackie Hanna with Blaze Temp (67.14 in the Intro) and Grace Hurrell riding Poppy Diamonds (69.04 in the Preliminary). The Trailblazer competition winner on the day was Tommy Wakfer who scored 71.51 in the Preliminary DI6 with Carmens Novello.
The Northern Region is holding its Christmas show today (Saturday) at Gransha, the second leg of the South Munster O’Brien’s Saddlery league takes place today at Ballindenisk with Leinster Dressage running their Christmas show tomorrow in CoilÓg.