REFLECTING the ever-increasing standard of dressage in this country, Ireland fielded a record total of nine combinations at Keysoe CDI in Bedfordshire last weekend.

Leading the Irish charge at big tour, Roland Tong finished inside the top 10 in Friday’s Grand Prix. On board Sandra Kirkpatrick’s 12-year-old gelding Rybrook Ambience, he scored 66.84% for ninth place, his collectives edging him ahead of Britain’s Alex Hardwick, who finished on exactly the same average.