ALTHOUGH in doubt right up to the previous day because of the weather, the Eastern Region of Dressage Ireland held its first show of the year last Saturday at its usual venue, Marlton, where there was judges’ training throughout the session.
With the recent retirement of Dermot Cannon from List 1, there was little surprise to see an all-female judging panel and, as usual, the vast majority of winning riders were of the same sex. However, the highest scores at the fixture were recorded by men in the two non-restricted Preliminary classes.
In both instances, Kevin Acres claimed the honours on board Sadhbh O’Connor’s DI-unregistered six-year-old Valencia LS (Vitalis - Desiree, by De Niro), who the owner purchased in 2023 and with whom she did some young horse classes. Greenogue Equestrian-based Acres is now producing the black gelding for O’Connor who remains busy with her showing string and studies.
High scores
Acres and Valencia LS scored 73.39% in the seven-runner DI5A, judged by Bernie Webb (List 3A), and 75.77 in the DI6 where 12 combinations appeared before Marie Hennessy (List 2). In both classes, Gerald Bloomer posted the second-highest scores (73.04 and 75.19 respectively) on his five-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Ready To Shine Avo (Las Vegas - Vinesse, by Ronaldo).
The same two judges assessed the non-restricted Novice classes, but here their overall leaderboards had a different combination on top.
Aoife Quigley came out best on 69.31 in the Webb-assessed seven-strong DI21 with her DI-unregistered Irish Sport Horse gelding Sunhill Beehive (Ganesh Hero Z - Sunhill Teresa, by Clover Flush), a six-year-old chesnut with whom she was fourth twice at EI100 level last season. Second there on 68.62, Sophie Richards claimed the honours on 70.34 in the Hennessy-judged four-runner DI27A with another DI-unregistered six-year-old ISH gelding Orado C (Jorado - Chino C, by Pacino) on whom she won an EI90 and was second in a 35-runner EI100 in two Eventing Ireland starts in 2025.
Surprisingly, the competitive action began with a four-runner Grand Prix. Here, the above-mentioned Acres got his day off to the perfect start when achieving the highest score (65.87) awarded by Jane Whitaker (List 1). His partner was Con McCarthy’s currently DI-unregistered 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Ganesh (Jazz - Partouch, by TCN Partout), who is being aimed at international qualification.
Elementary
Scoring highest with Webb in both Elementary classes was Antonia Ward with the DI-unregistered Shenandoah’s Cachassini (Cachassini - Shenandoah Tazira, by Aldato), an 11-year-old German Sport Horse gelding who was competed at CCI3*-S level last season by Hannah Willis.
From west of the Shannon, Rebecca McGrath won both two-runner FEI Junior classes on her mother Sinead’s 14-year-old British-bred Hanoverian gelding Summersong Caledonia (Sandro Hit - Donner Daylight, by Don Schufro). Fellow traveller Cadhla Curran continued her winning run with her mother Carmel’s nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding HS (Valdez HS - Seven Mountain Dusty, by Debrino) when seeing off two rivals in both FEI Pony tests.
There were three starters also in both Medium classes, the Webb-judged DI65 where Georgia Cadogan posted the top score (66.09) on her 10-year-old ISH mare Stars Of Jupiter (Glenayre Mystical Bobby, by Gildoran) and the DI67, where Hennessy awarded her highest score (65.30) to Siofra Pratt riding her 13-year-old ISH mare Ballarin My Grace (Kings Master - Seefin Rosewood, by Nash Me).
The fourth judge who officiated on the day was Alison Thorne (List 5), who took charge of the poorly-supported Welcome to Dressage and Trailblazer classes. She awarded her highest score (67.78) in the two-runner Welcome to Dressage Intro A to Aaron Meade and the 19-year-old skewbald mare Kilmacoo’s Rainbow.