THE Leinster Region of Dressage Ireland held its annual general meeting on Tuesday, February 28th at the Halfway House in Ashtown, Co Dublin. This meeting included the election of officers, the presentation of the regional autumn and winter league prizes and the presentation of the Leinster leading rider awards for 2022.

The AGM had over 25 attendees and commenced with a welcome from regional chairperson Clare Fitzsimons. Reports from Clare, from regional treasurer Davina Ni Mhuineachain and regional secretary Lorna O’Hare followed.

In her report, Fitzsimons praised the venue owners within Leinster – how easy they are to work with, the lovely conditions they maintain the venues in and their endless facilitation and co-operation. Looking forwards, she predicted that inflation would make a difference to the Region and members with costs from judging expenses to catering already rising. On the plus side, 2022 saw over 900 tests ridden by over 260 members on more than 180 horses.

Among the 14 plus shows staged in 2022, Leinster not only held the only three-day Regional show in Ireland – Botanica Dressage In The City – but also held a three-in-one show in November at Greenogue where a leg of the league doubled up as both the Dressage Ireland Inter Regional final and the Horse Sport Ireland Autumn Development series final.

The election of officers saw no committee members step down and just one change as chairperson Clare Fitzsimons and vice chairperson Petra Larkin exchanged roles for 2023.

Awards presented

Killian Gaffney, Leinster committee member and CEO of Equitrace, then presented insights gained from a survey he designed that took place in Leinster during the autumn. With over 70 responses, the survey had a high uptake rate and highlighted key areas that the members felt are being best served currently, such as social media and show notifications, as well as key areas such as delivery of competition times and catering which the Leinster committee will focus on improving for 2023.

Next, prizes for the autumn and winter 2022 Leinster Dressage league were awarded by the Regional committee. Due to adverse weather forcing the cancellation of the intended league final twice, league results were based on those after the penultimate leg.

In the highly contested Preliminary league, the winner was Marlieze Krielaart from the Midlands and Western Region who competed on board her Irish Sport Horse mare, Lucy Cruising while Leinster’s Ella Grace Ni Bhrionn won the Novice league on her ISH gelding Marlfield Fallon. This latter combination had a great year in 2022 when they also took part in their first overseas competition at the UK Youth Home international.

In the Elementary league, first place went to Eastern Region member Gilly Crawford and the ISH mare Majestic Heartbreaker and Leinster secretary Lorna O’Hare took first place in the Medium league with her chestnut gelding DBS Second Chance. Rosemary Gaffney from the South East Region won the Advanced Medium league with her Hanoverian mare Chantal 2. The Advanced and above league was won by the South East Region’s Hannah Fielding on another Hanoverian mare, Florentina DWS.

The Para league was won by Heather Lemmon Kiely. Heather, who competes with her own 12-year-old roan mare Praise The Sun/Ladychapel Narnia at Grade II level, makes her international para debut at Addington this month. In the Trailblazer leagues, Cora Breslin and MLHR Pablo won the walk and trot league while Darragh Whyte and Two Tone Tommy won both the Preliminary and Novice leagues.

The Region then presented the leading rider awards for 2022. John Gavin had a very successful year winning the Preliminary award with Holywell Contender and the Elementary with Holywell Spark. Lorna O’Hare was first and second in the Medium award with her two geldings DBS Second Chance and DBS Oisinn. Tara Hayes won the Advanced Medium award on Ferrero K with Tara Oliver claiming the Advanced and above award on Senators Rhonaldo.

Killian Gaffney won the Novice award and the overall leading rider award for 2022 with his ISH gelding My Bishopshill Rolex, a Cougar six-year-old who was bred in Co Kildare by Suzanne McGee out of the Diamond Clover mare Bohemian Ruby

The evening concluded with an address from Dressage Ireland chairperson Marguerite Kavanagh who thanked the Region and its members for their efforts in 2022. She reminded everyone how important the spirit of volunteering is to Dressage Ireland as all Regions, and the organisation itself, rely on volunteers to make shows happen for members.