THE finals of the Horse Sport Ireland/Dressage Ireland autumn development series was staged by the Leinster Region last Sunday at Greenogue where, although it was a bright, sunny day, the wind blew which may have had a bearing on the results.

To qualify for the finals at each level, registered horse/rider combinations had to compete at two of the five qualifiers (which were spread throughout the island), complete their tests and, on one occasion at least, be placed in the first four. The HSI-sponsored young horse classes were confined to horses registered with a Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine studbook.

While there were generous prizes on offer for the highest-placed Irish-bred horse in each final on Sunday, there was an emphasis on the three age classes for Irish-bred horses, all of which were judged by England’s Sara Jane Lanning and locally-based Dermot Cannon, chairman of Dressage Ireland’s judges’ committee.

Niamh Tottenham secured the bulk of the sponsor’s money in the four-year-old (Preliminary) final as she owns, rides and bred the winner, the Irish Sport Horse gelding, Slieve Callan Gael (70.41%).

Co Kilkenny’s Nicki Russell finished second on Julia Finnegan’s Connemara mare Callowfeenish Silver (68.33), a bay by Kippure Alkatraz out of Callowfeenish Homer (by Dunloughan Scot), with Kildare’s Killian Gaffney placing third on the ISH gelding, My Bishophill Rolex (64.89), a dark brown son of Cougar out of the Diamond Clover mare Bohemian Ruby.

A sister of leading event riders Sarah and Nicola Ennis and so reared in Howth, Co Dublin, Tottenham moved from the east coast to the west when she got married and now lives at Mount Callan, between Ennis and Milltown Malbay in Co Clare, somewhat off the beaten track when it comes to dressage.

The grey Slieve Callan Gael, who has done plenty of travelling around the country over the past few months, is by the Dutch Warmblood stallion Tyson. He is the third of five foals registered on CapallOir out of the Courage II mare GI Miz Minx who had amassed 111 Show Jumping Ireland points when she retired to stud.

Repeat success for Gavin

North Dublin-based John Gavin recorded a comprehensive success in the five-year-old (Novice) final with his own ISH gelding Holywell Spark (67.13), winner of the four-year-old title last December.

Down from Co Donegal, Amelia McFarland was second with the home-bred Kingston Rua (61.29), an ISH gelding by Furstenball out of the Clintino mare Tullibards Shakira, while Dressage Ireland chair, Marguerite Kavanagh, finished third on the ISH gelding Pretty Unique (58.51) who is by Celtic Hero BZ out of What A Feeling B, by Wandango.

Gavin, operations manager with Oireachtas TV, purchased his dual champion at Cavan as a foal. The Cobra gelding was bred in Co Tipperary by Jacinta O’Donoghue and is the first of four foals registered on CapallOir out of the Contador mare Oneforthenotebook. He was followed by an OBOS Quality 004 filly (2018) and two foals by Glynnwood Cornet, a 2020 filly and a 2021 colt.

Six-year-old win for Rea

South Munster Region member Jennifer Rea was delighted with her victory in the six-year-old (Elementary) final with her own ISH gelding Fermoyle Charles (67.03). This son of S Creevagh Ferro, who was bred in Co Sligo by Henry Gardiner, is the second of just three recorded foals out of the Grade A mare Fermoyle Jane (by Captain Clover).

Jennifer Rae won the six-year-olds with Fermoyle Charles \ Louise O'Brien Photography

Here, Niamh Tottenham added to her prize-money haul when placing second with Fortmoy Queen Bee (65.78), an ISH mare by Watermill Swatch out of Fortmoy Shinawill (by Gurraun Zidane) who evented last year, winning two EI90 classes and twice placing third at EI100 level.

Two judges were assigned to each of the other finals as well, Cannon joining forces with England’s Richard Baldwin to assess those forward in the Intermediaire I, which was won by Sarah Mellor and her home-bred 11-year-old Hotline mare Hotshot (67.35), the Intermediaire II, won by Co Limerick-based Tara Oliver and her 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding Furst Romance (64.49), and the Grand Prix won by Mellor on her 14-year-old Oldenburg mare Let’s Dance (65.71).

Oliver also found favour with Sara Jane Lanning and north Dublin’s Michael Moore who had her at the top of their leaderboard in the Advanced BD101 with her seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding Senators Rhonaldo (69.32).

Having had to settle for second in the Intermediaire I, the Northern Region’s Laragh O’Grady and her ISH gelding Mullentine Emerald Wolfe Tone were awarded a winning score of 68.82 by Lanning and Moore in the Prix St George.

Rewarding weekend

Oliver had a very rewarding weekend as, on a score of 72.03, she and Senators Rhonaldo were winners also of the Advanced Medium BD98 final judged by England’s Douglas Hibbert and north Co Dublin’s Jane Whitaker.

Richard Baldwin and Co Tipperary’s Liam Maloney judged two classes together, the Medium BD76 final which Northern Region pony international, Ellen McDonald, won with Dante Alighieri (67.42), beating into second HSI’s youth dressage team manager, Anne Marie Dunphy, riding LEB Hugo (67.19). The pair’s winner of the Novice BD37A was Waterford’s Emily Kate Robinson and the home-bred Dutch Warmblood mare, Kekepania (70.65).

In the Elementary BD59 final, judged by Hibbert and north Dublin’s Bernie Foley, Robinson and her Lingh six-year-old scored an excellent 67.81 but this was only good enough for second behind the Northern Region’s Joanne Jarden and Debby Ewing’s 13-year-old Anglo European mare Stormhill Raindance (68.59).

Co Kilkenny’s Nicki Russell and her 19-year-old New Frontier gelding Sizing Australia had a perfect warm-up for the Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classic at JAG Equestrian on Thursday when winning Sunday’s Hibbert and Whitaker-judged Preliminary BD19 final on 70.73. Here, Russell also finished second with Laura Barron’s ISH gelding Rafftery (70.41).

Nicki Russell and Sizing Australian won the Preliminary BD 19

“This Horse Sport Ireland autumn dressage development series has been a great focus again this year for riders to keep their horses in training,” commented Dressage Ireland chair, and competitor, Marguerite Kavanagh. “This has been a very well-received series, as it motivates and inspires riders owners and breeders of Irish-bred dressage horses to get involved and progress in the sport.”