THE final Dressage Ireland show of 2025 was staged by the Eastern Region last Saturday at Marlton Stud, where the judging duties fell to Ruth Daunt (List 4) and DI chairman Mark Ruddock (British Dressage List 1).

On a day when a small entry for the venue was further depleted by withdrawals, Daunt took charge of all classes up to and including Novice. She awarded her highest score (71.54) in the six-runner Preliminary D6 to Naomi Fisher on board her six-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Fort Arthur Carefree (Fruits Of Love - Blackwater Dream Catcher, by Lancelot).

There were only five starters in the DI5A where the overall leaderboard was headed on 68.93 by Suzanne Garrett with the unregistered six-year-old ISH gelding Mirahs Piccolo (Glenmore Mirah Patrick - Lisball Lady). There was only one starter in the two dedicated Junior classes which took place, Amy Fox scoring 69.23 in the Preliminary DI6 and 67.24 in the Novice DI21 with the six-year-old bay mare Little Miss Mocha.

Ellen Carroll, riding Nervada, was one of the 'best outfit' winners at Marlton \ Louise O'Brien Photography

Three combinations appeared before Daunt in the Novice DI27A which was won on 67.24 by Mary Fenelon Bourke on the 16-year-old ISH mare Enniskerry Trendy (Tinaranas Inspector - Expectation, by Coevers Diamond Boy).

A cross-grade double was recorded by Antonia Ward in the Daunt-judged Novice DI21 (69.83), in which there were four starters, and the Mark Ruddock-assessed five-runner Elementary DI52. In both instances, Ward partnered the unregistered Shenandoah’s Cachassini, a 10-year-old German Sport Horse gelding who was competed up to CCI3*-S level this year by Hannah Willis.

Riding her nine-year-old ISH mare Majestic Heartbreaker (Womanizer - Flojo, by Mr Majestic), Gilly Crawford completed an Advanced level double, scoring 67.14 in the DI100 and 67.03 in the FEI Young Riders Preliminary Test. There were just two starters in both of those classes and, in the Medium DI67, where Ruddock awarded his highest score of the day (68.48) to Alexandra Frei on her nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Quibelle van de Vlindervallei (Messi Of Colours - Hinne, by Cabrio van de Heffinck).

Alison Vines, riding Baile Beag, was among the winners of the 'best outfit' at Marlton \ Louise O'Brien Photography

The majority of those who competed on Saturday, especially in the Trail Blazers section, embraced the Christmas spirit with their colourful attire, the winners of the day’s best outfits being announced as Mali Preston, Alison Vines and Ellen Carroll.