ON their first international outing since the Tokyo Olympic Games last summer, Kildare’s Heike Holstein and her home-bred mare Sambuca scored a brilliant third-place finish in the three-star Freestyle to Music at the dressage show in Wellington, England last Friday.

Holstein’s 13-year-old mare by Samarant scored an impressive 74.60% for a podium finish, behind Britain’s Gareth Hughes and Sintano Van Hof Olympia who won on a score of 76.80%, and runner-up Richard Davidson with Bubblingh on 75.41%.

On a good day for Irish dressage, Abi Lyle and the 11-year-old Fabregas gelding Farrell scored an international freestyle personal best of 68.685% for seventh place. Earlier in the day, the British-based Lyle and her 11-year-old Rosseau gelding Giraldo placed sixth place in the Grand Prix Special on 67.256%.

Charlotte Dujardin’s total of 78.362% with Imotep secured a home win in the Grand Prix Special. The pair also won the Grand Prix, on a score of 77.76%, ahead of teammate Hughes in second (Classic Briolinca) and third place (Sintano Van Hof Olympia). Lyle finished sixth with Farrell (68.84%) while Holstein was eighth with Sambuca (68.04%).