THERE are a lot of unaffiliated dressage shows being run at equestrian centres throughout the country and, in the Northern Region in particular, these are having an effect on the numbers competing under Dressage Ireland rules.

There is also a lot of enthusiasm for dressage among Riding Club members (many of whom double up as members of DI) especially when it comes to being on a club team at the Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ National Championships.

This year, with sponsorship from Connolly’s Red Mills, these were held at the Mullingar Equestrian Centre in early August when, with all four riders scoring over 70%, the winners were Waterford (434.51) with Cheval placing second (427.08) ahead of Carne (426.76). Over 70 teams vied for qualification through their regions with 18 of the 21 teams qualified bidding for championship honours

There were also many individual titles on offer and it was great to see Carne’s Vicky Cloney win the Advanced Intermediate Championship on the 23-year-old Kachemire Le Beau. Cloney, who attributed her success to the training her club received from Kate Dwyer, competed at Novice level at two DI shows this year on the Selle Français gelding.

After a disrupted 2020, the Pony Club organisations were back in full swing in 2021 with the Irish Pony Club’s National Dressage day taking place at Spruce Lodge in early September. Among the results of note was Charlotte Goor’s victory in the Under 12s’ Championships on her last ride representing the Wicklow Branch with Barkway State Affair.

At the IPC’s Festival at Barnadown the previous month, the team competition was won by Killinick Green while the individual winners were Newcastle Lyons’s Laragh Louise Byrne on Steendiek’s Dali Gold and Killinick’s Faye Murphy riding Robyn. In Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland), the Iveaghs’ Hollie Donnan won the Novice title at the JCB Championships at Offchurch Bury on Killoughter Nugget.