IT proved to be a St Patrick’s weekend to remember for Irish dressage at Addington Manor CDI show in Great Britain, as Abi Lyle won her first ever international Grand Prix Kür (Freestyle to Music) class and Sophia Doheny (15) made her senior international dressage debut. Bangor, County Down native Lyle and the 13-year-old KWPN gelding Giraldo danced their way to victory to an upbeat techno mix music freestyle programme, which included an expressive eye-catching extended canter movement. Lyle scored an unbeatable 74.995% with her own and Caroline Clarry’s Harmony’s Rosseau gelding. Andrew Gould and Genie placed second for Great Britain on 74.065%. Greece’s Theodora Livanos and Robinvale completed the podium in third on a 73.920% total.

Abi made a good start to the 2024 international season the previous day, scoring 70.326% with Giraldo for third place in the Grand Prix class. Becky Moody and the Jagerbomb scored 75.457% for a home win with Australia’s Jayden Brown and Willingapark Quincy B placing second on 71.217%.

Abi Lyle won her first ever international Grand Prix Kür (Freestyle to Music) class with Giraldo at the Addington Manor CDI \ Aisling Deverell

Anthem honour

Reflecting on a great two days in Addington, Abi said: “Giraldo was so good in the Grand Prix and I just took him for a hack before the freestyle the following day. He just felt so ready to do it. It is a fun music freestyle programme and, apart from a little blip in the collected walk, it went really well. My first time to have the Irish national anthem played at the prize-giving ceremony, what an honour. I’m so fortunate to train with Carl Hester and Gareth Hughes. I’m with Carl every fortnight or so and Gareth is just 30 minutes away and I see him every week. It is a big help in maintaining things, such as the tempo of the canter. Paris is my big target for this year and I am available for selection for the Irish individual Olympic place. I’m trying to get into Fontainebleau and I hope to be selected as a member of the Irish dressage team at the French Nations Cup show in Compiègne, where the 2024 Olympic ground jury will be on duty.”

Sophia Doheny riding Batiqar was third in the CDIJ Team Test on Friday at Addington \ EuroDressage

Debut

It was also a memorable show for 15-year-old Sophia Doheny, based at Slieve Bloom Stud, Clonaslee, Co Laois. The youngest ever Irish rider to make her senior international dressage debut posted an impressive score of 65.891% with her mother Louise’s 19-year-old Westphalian gelding Enrico for a top 15 finish in the CDI3* Grand Prix. Continuing her good run of form, Sophia finished her first ever senior international Grand Prix Kür with a flourish, completing one-handed down the centre line and scoring 67.685% for a top 12 placing with her Viva La Vida-themed freestyle programme.

In the underage division, Doheny secured a podium placing in the junior international team class completing in third with the 18-year-old KWPN gelding Batiqar on a 67.273% total. Sophia and Batiqar scored 68.578% for fifth place in the junior international individual class.

Pony rider Laragh Byrne and the 10-year-old Palomino Steendieks Dali Gold were fifth in the freestyle class on 68.242%. Their score of 66.576% was good enough for sixth place in the pony international individual class.