Following eight tests on deteriorating ground conditions, the teams were separated by just 0.32 of a point, that being in favour of the north Dublin squad, who hope to maintain the momentum when the clubs clash tomorrow in the NER dressage qualifier at the Broadmeadow Equestrian Centre.

Ashbrook, who finished just ahead of Border Counties last June but behind the winners Twinfort, have a lot of dressage enthusiasts from whom teams can be chosen and had four very strong representatives on Sunday.

Helena Fitzgerald, an auctioneer on Dublin’s Manor Street who rides at advanced primary level, was on board her 14-year-old Clover Dubh gelding Gentleman James (64.23). Competing with the nine-year-old chesnut gelding Out Of The Blue (60.19) was intermediate rider Helen Clarke, who is known throughout the country as the African Plains’ team leader at Dublin Zoo.

Advanced intermediate rider John Gavin, who works in the Oireachtas Broadcasting Unit, achieved an excellent score of 74.62 with Michael Moore’s 10-year-old My O My gelding Partial Eclipse.

Moore himself, who runs his own dog grooming service, partnered his 11-year-old grey mare Guaranteed Gold to a score of 71.92 at Open level.

Discarding Clarke’s score and averaging out the remainder, Ashbrook won on 70.26 while Border Counties were marginally behind on 69.94. Kerry had two teams in the top six, finishing third (68.59) and fifth (67.05).

They were split by a trio from Barrow Valley (68.33) as Clonlara, whose team included two thoroughbreds, were sixth on 66.67. “It was always nip and tuck between ourselves and Border Counties,” said Moore, who also won the long arena open class.

“It was a pity we had all that rain on Sunday morning as the ground got very deep in places. I thought we weren’t having a good show but, when we unpacked back home, there were a lot of trophies among the rosettes.”

Through Fitzgerald and the in-form Gavin, Ashbrook also won Saturday’s novice and expert pairs’ class where the second-placed Castle Hill duo, Lindsey Ilona Brady and Mairead Dolan, both competed with the Drumri gelding Dime A Dozen. Ashbrook had two other pairings in the top six.