TREO Eile sponsored awards for the highest-placed thoroughbreds at four levels during last weekend’s Dressage Ireland national championships in Ballindenisk, two of these going to the well-known French-bred geldings A Plus Tard and Arvika Ligeonniere.

The highest-placed of the quartet however was the US-bred Khwarizmi who, under owner Rosemarie Ahern O’Gorman, finished a close-up third (215.25) in the Medium Category 3 championship won by the traditionally-bred Irish Sport Horse mare Ballarin My Grace (216.5). A 10-year-old gelding by Algorithms, Khwarizmi ran 10 times on the flat, winning a five-furlong maiden on the Polytrack at Dundalk Stadium in December 2017.

On a score of 169.5, the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard finished fifth under Emily Kate Robinson in the Preliminary Category 3 championship won by the ISH gelding RBS Man On Fire (174). Earlier in the month, Robinson and the 11-year-old Kapgarde gelding won the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing racehorse to riding horse championship at the Dublin Horse Show having topped a similar line-up at Balmoral in May.

The Louise Duffy-owned and ridden Arvika Ligeonniere finished ninth (197.875) of 24 in the Novice Category 2 championship won by the ISH mare Little Lottie (209.75). Following his racing career, which included four Grade 1 victories over fences, the now 20-year-old Arvico bay evented up to CCI2*-L level. A week before the DI championships, Duffy and Arvika Ligeonniere had competed in the Jockey Club RoR national championships at the Aintree International Equestrian Centre where the bay was placed in dressage and in-hand.

Holly Boles received the Elementary Category 2 award following her 20th place finish on Tara Dalton’s Get In The Van (185.25); the title was won by the Joanne Logue-owned and ridden Little Lottie (205.5) who was bringing up a championship double. A 17-year-old grey by Darsi, Get In The Van had a very short racing career, being retired after his only start in a five-year-old geldings’ maiden in May 2013 at Ballybunion where he was pulled up.