THREE regions of Dressage Ireland held their first shows of 2022 last weekend with the Northern Region continuing its winter league on Saturday at Gransha Equestrian where the home-based Courtney Stuart recorded two uncontested victories at Medium level on her seven-year-old Follow Me gelding, Favorino.

Stuart scored over 70% in both tests and that barrier was also breached by the two Novice level winners, Gillian Graham with her Irish Sport Horse gelding Gorsehill Charmer (71.72), a nine-year-old Hermes de Reve bay, in the DI21, and Sharon Getty on her year-younger Taptoo (72.88), an ISH mare by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan, in the BD39.

Anya Skilling recorded an impressive victory in the Preliminary BD19 on her ISH mare Tiz Quality (75.21%), a five-year-old daughter of OBOS Quality 004. However, on 67.50 in the DI8, she and her Imelda Moran-bred bay could only finish second to Alex Wallace and the ex-racehorse Royal Sea Breeze (68.65), a 13-year-old Darsi gelding.

Freeney breaks 80%

The South East campaign commenced on Sunday at Spruce Lodge where David Freeney scored 82.69% to dominate the Preliminary DI8 with Stephen Byrne’s Dutch Warmblood gelding CLS Icon, a nine-year-old by Johnson.

Melanie Hammel topped the leaderboard in the second Preliminary class, the B15, with Taylors Slaney Cruise (70.60) then she and her 18-year-old chesnut mare also won the Novice BD22 on a score of 73.97.

Also scoring over 70% to win were Liz Gallagher with her 16-year-old piebald gelding Lassban Silhouette (70.81) in the Elementary BD40 and Rachel Carr on the ISH mare Calliaghstown Silver Doolin (71.90) in the Medium BD61.

Rachel Dowley initiated a double when winning the second Medium class, the DI65, on the Dutch Warmblood gelding Insticator BS (73.28) and completed it on the Florencio nine-year-old when scoring 72.33 in the first of the Advanced Medium classes.

Like his European pony champion teammate Rachel Carr, Wexford’s Oscar O’Connor was among the winners on Sunday as, with the 11-year-old palomino gelding Veenstras Grapas (73.51), he topped the leaderboard in the FEI pony individual test and filled the runner-up spot with Top Hero 2 (70.95).

Wild Atlantic Festival

Continuing with its winter league, the Midland and Western Region held its show on Sunday at Duffy’s Equestrian but, at time of writing, only some of the results had been uploaded to the DI website. Starting at Annaharvey Farm tomorrow, there are three more opportunities to qualify for the regional winter finals at the Ballinasloe Showgrounds on Sunday, March 27th.

There was very welcome news during the week that, following a two-year break because of the pandemic, the Wild Atlantic Dressage Festival is returning to the calendar this season and will be held at Ard Chuain in Co Sligo over the weekend of April 30th and May 1st.