THREE Dressage Ireland-affiliated shows were staged last weekend, the first on Saturday by the Eastern Region at Marlton, where Sophie Orr claimed the day’s riding honours.

Orr partnered two five-year-old Connemara geldings in the 11-runner Preliminary DI6 judged by Nat O’Hanrahan (List 6) and, remarkably, recorded the same top score (72.50%) and collective mark (50) on both. These were Aughnasilla Pat (Western Boy - Cailín Críonna, by Boden Park Finnard), who now has 50 DI points to his credit, and Coumbrack Droichead (Anna Dooneen - Cournbrack Aoife, by Maam Hero), who has yet to be registered with DI.

Eight combinations appeared before Marian Slattery (List 3A) in the Novice DI27A, where Orr again recorded the highest score (71.38) on board a Connemara, this time with the 11-year-old mare Tirnaskea Starstruck (Kays Moonlight - Aille Husky, by New Beginning).

Lynne Cassidy (List 3) judged the other two non-restricted classes at Preliminary and Novice level.

In the DI5A, where Orr finished second with Coumbrack Droichead (67.32), Cassidy awarded her highest score (68.57) to the Eventing Ireland EI100 pairing of Matthew Kelly and his father Edward’s six-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Tullabeg Fernando (Hiello - Carmelito Tilly, by Tannenhofs Carmelito S).

Cassidy’s overall winner of the Novice DI21 on 68.28 was Mary Fenelon Bourke riding her 17-year-old ISH mare Enniskerry Trendy (Tinaranas Inspector - Expectation, by Coevers Diamond Boy).

Slattery and Cassidy also shared the judging duties at Elementary level, facing five starters apiece. The former’s winner on 68.06 of the DI52 was Georgia Cadogan with her six-year-old Westphalian mare Frühlingsgold SL (For Gold - Akina, by Araconit). Cassidy’s overall leaderboard was topped on 72.86 by Sonya McCormack and her five-year-old Oldenburg mare Sosha Jakama (Taurus - Elektra), winners of the Category 3 Novice title at the recent Inter Regional Finals in Ballindenisk.

There were three starters and the same winner in both Medium classes judged by Cassidy, Siofra Pratt and her 13-year-old ISH mare Ballarin My Grace (Kings Master - Seefin Rosewood, by Nash Me), who scored 66.72 in the DI65 and 65.30 in the DI67.

Bernie Foley (List 1) judged both Advanced classes where Gilly Crawford recorded a double. In the DI100, Crawford partnered Majestic Heartbreaker (Womanizer - Flojo, by Mr Majestic) to score 68.42, seeing off two rivals, while she and the 10-year-old ISH mare posted an uncontested victory on 69.06 in the FEI Young Riders’ Preliminary Test.

It would seem that the only person prepared to take on Tara Hayes last Saturday was Hayes herself, the Curragh rider partnering both horses in the Prix St George and Inter I judged by Foley.

In the former, she scored 70.88 on her mother Fiona’s 10-year-old home-bred ISH mare Sandora BS (Spielberg - Silver Grouse, by Zagreb) and 68.24 on Ferrero K. In the Inter I, it was Fiona’s 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Ferreo K (Apache - Uerette, by Silvano N), who came out on top on 66.62, wtih Sandora BS being beaten into second on 65.59.

Uncontested doubles were recorded at Advanced level by Jennifer Egan and her 10-year-old ISH mare Don Juan’s Doll (64.39 in the FEI Junior Team Test and 65.88 in the FEI Junior Individual test); by Olivia Linnane and her mother Isobell’s 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Don Dimaro van het Gildeland (66 in the FEI Pony Rider Team Test and 65.81 in the FEI Pony Rider Individual test); and by Rebecca McGrath and her mother Sinead’s 14-year-old British Hanoverian mare Summersong Caledonia (66.47 in the FEI Junior Individual Test and 65 in the FEI Junior Team Test).

In the show’s dedicated national Junior section, there were overall wins for Oscar O’Connor and Raya (66.25 in the Preliminary 5A), Ben Baker and Small Print (71.35 in the Preliminary 6), Abbey Ferris and Merrywell Dignified Lady (69.14 in the Novice 21) and Erin Dowling and Superior Duchess (66.72 in the Novice 27A). Emily Grimes and Millridge Buachaill Bui scored 68.19 to beat their sole rivals in the Elementary 52 before recording an uncontested victory in the Elementary 55 on 69.64.