THE North Munster Region of Dressage Ireland were delighted with the turn-out on Saturday for the third leg of their summer league, which continues through to the end of July.
“The league has been very well supported so far, with competitors enjoying excellent facilities, strong competition and a great atmosphere at each venue,” commented regional committee member, Susan Humphreys.
Enjoying Saturday’s show more than others were four riders who topped the overall scores twice at Novice, Medium, Advanced Medium and Advanced levels before two of the country’s most recently-upgraded judges, Michael Moore (List 1) and Bernie Webb (List 2).
Lucy Cusack wasn’t hard pressed to do so at the highest of those grades, as she recorded uncontested wins on her 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood Kirktown, scoring 65.57% in the league qualifier (DI100) and 64.43 in the DI101.
Tracy Murphy topped the scores in the two-runner Advanced Medium league DI95 (68.89) and the three-runner DI90 (65.74) on board another 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood, the mare Kennedy. Riding her 20-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Fernhill Nearly Darc (Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan - Clover Savannah, by Clover Hill), Lene Rose saw off four rivals when topping the scores on 65.94 in the Medium league class (DI65) and two rivals in the DI73, where she was awarded a score of 65.83.
Judith Wurmel twice claimed the overall honours at Novice level on her ISH mare Dreamhill Doria (Ballineen It’s William - Dreamhill Donna, by Huntingfield Rebel), when achieving 66.38 in the seven-strong league class (DI27A) and 68 in the DI24A, where there were six starters.
Another rider to win twice on the same horse, but not at Graded level, was Sonya McCormack who scored 69.68 in the four-runner non-league Elementary DI56 with her Oldenburg mare Sosha Jakama, on whom she then recorded an uncontested victory in the five-year-old class.
Among those to compete here and at Barnadown on Sunday was Bray Pony Club member Emily Grimes, who received the overall top score of 67.33 in the five-runner Elementary league class (DI53) for her test on the 21-year-old former top eventing pony Millridge Buachaill Bui (Templebready Fear Bui - Anna’s Girl).
The well-known Connemara performance duo of Sophie Cusack and the 10-year-old Clareville Codiac (Caherlistrane Bay - Tegan, by Slisneoir) were, on 74.62, the clear-cut overall winners of the six-runner Novice league class (DI8). However, in the seven-strong non-league DI6 they had to settle for joint-overall second behind the table-topping Bethany Mackey and the unregistered Ed (68.65).