THE 2026 Dressage Ireland judges’ gala, held at Kildalton College last Saturday, was a sold-out affair with 120 attendees present to benefit from the knowledge and experience of host Katrina Wuest. Wuest is a German FEI 5* judge and course director, who was President of the Ground Jury at the Tokyo Olympics and who has spoken at this event on two previous occasions.

The opening theory session was entitled ‘Principles in practice’ and Wuest began with a discussion of the ’50 shades of 6.5’, aiming to help judges find the correct mark within what she referred to as the 5.0-7.0 grey zone. She said: “6.5 should be a deliberate decision rather than a compromise when we can’t make up our minds.”