THE Northern Region of Dressage Ireland staged three Baileys-sponsored FEI youth championships at last weekend’s NAF Festival in Castle Irvine, Necarne.

The highest combined score (242.5) was posted in the three-runner Pony championship by Cadhla Curran on her mother Carmel’s seven-year-old Dutch Riding Pony Cosmo Rubin. There were three starters also in the Junior championship, won by Millie Cosgrave on her mother Sarah Mellor’s home-bred mare Hotshot (227), a 16-year-old daughter of Hotline.

In the Young Riders’ championship, Sophia Doheny beat herself when scoring 240.5 on her mother Louise’s 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding Gortlintgards Toledo.

Counter attractions, such as The Pony Club Area 17 dressage at The Meadows, probably accounted for the small entry in the two dedicated Junior championships.

There were two starters in the NAF Magic Preliminary championship, won by Tallula Hughes on the 19-year-old skewbald gelding Lightning McQueen (174.5), while Harriet O’Hagan recorded an uncontested win in the NAF Super Flex Novice championship on the 15-year-old black mare OOS Fairytale (197.5).

The three Cara Solutions-sponsored Freestyle classes were won by Emma Dair, who saw off three rivals on her eight-year-old Cornaroya Romeo mare Castle Ellis Esmeralda (67.325% in the Novice/Elementary class). There were uncontested wins for Cadhla Curran on her mother Carmel’s 11-year-old German Riding Pony HS (65.585 in the Medium/Advanced Medium class) and for Erin McCoy and the 20-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Bjornsun (79.375 in the Open).

The highest combined score awarded in the McCoys’ Trailblazers section was 197.5, which was recorded by Amelia Santos on Emma McAuley’s unraced nine-year-old thoroughbred gelding Dapple Delight (Zebedee - Bendzoldan, by Refuse To Bend) in the Junior Novice championship, in which she was the only starter.