THE Northern Region of Dressage Ireland held the fourth leg of their Healys Haylage summer league last Saturday at Knockagh View Equestrian, where Joan Adrain partnered three overall winners.

Appointed chair of DI on Monday of this week, Adrain struck first in the seven-runner Preliminary DI16 where, on 72.20%, she topped the leaderboard of Lucinda Webb-Graham (List 4) riding her five-year-old Oldenburg mare Fendi Jewel (Desperado - Zilia Royal, by Dressage Royal).

Adrain recorded two overall wins on her nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Moviestar (Johnson - Dilena, by Welt Hit II), scoring 66.91 in the seven-runner Advanced Medium DI90 and seeing off her sole rival in the Advanced DI100, when achieving a score of 65.14.

Both classes were judged by Michael Moore (List 1), as were the Advanced DI101 and the Grand Prix where, respectively, Carolyn Mellor scored 65.86 on her eight-year-old Westphalian mare Ballett’s Bellissima (by Ballettmeister) and 67.50 with the 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding VSH Gouverneur M (by Voice).

Karen Murray partnered three winners. On 73.62, she first topped the overall leaderboard of Webb-Graham in the nine-runner Novice DI27A with her nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Mister Galaxie Win and then, on board the 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding VSH Gangster, she scored 64.71 to see off her sole rival in the Moore-judged Prix St George before recording an uncontested win in the Inter I on 62.65.

McIlwaine’s Medium double

With her seven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Roundthorn Oreo (Vittorio - Amour Roundthorn, by Sandreo), Linda McIlwaine recorded a Medium double in front of Moore. In the seven-runner DI67, she scored 66.67 as did Jane Smith on the 11-year-old bay gelding Sorrento Moon, but McIlwaine had the higher collective (61 to 60.5) to narrowly claim the overall honours. In the three-runner BD6, she and Roundthorn Oreo topped the overall leaderboard on a more comfortable 66.53.

There were also three starters in the second of the Advanced Medium classes where, using the FEI Junior Team Test, Moore awarded his highest score, 65.30, to Brenda Cull riding her 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Inclusive S (Glock’s Dream Boy - Winsley, by Paddox).

Moore also judged the second of the Elementary classes, the BD6, where Craig Hills topped the overall scoreboard on 67.27 with High Hopes Tuxita, a 10-year-old black mare by Maximillian. There were eight starters in that class and 11 in the DI56A, where Webb-Graham awarded her highest score of 69.19 to Deborah Allen riding her 12-year-old ISH mare Rose Of Gethsemane (Askoll Peter Pan - Allgrownup, by Sea Raven).

Six combinations appeared before Webb-Graham in the Novice BD6 where, on 69.68, her overall leaderboard was topped by Karen McKee riding her six-year-old ISH gelding Furstlove KPCM (Furstenball - Lovely Lady VDM, by Govenor).

Mark Robinson (List 6) faced his largest field, seven, in the Preliminary DI6 where he awarded his highest score (70.77) to Mary Devine and her six-year-old Dutch Sport Horse mare Pandora (Milford - Haranka MC, by Charmeur). Robinson awarded his highest score (72.31) in the three-runner Junior Preliminary to Annie Morrow riding her mother Kathy’s eight-year-old part-bred Welsh gelding Liberty’s Benjamin.