A FEATURE of Dressage Ireland’s National Championships over the past few years has been the increasing number of Irish-bred horses and ponies who riders are producing through all levels.

Last weekend, while she claimed the Irish Draught Society trophy with the home-bred Beezies Double Diamond, the 15-year-old Gentle Diamond gelding she competes at Small Tour level, Simone Hession of the Beezies Stud in Co Sligo also sponsored a trophy and a prize for the highest-placed traditionally bred Irish Sport Horse in the highest-graded championship and a rosette for the top-placed ISH in the championship classes should they finish in the first six.

The winner of the Beezies Sue trophy was the Connie Noone-ridden Kilcorban Diamond Flash who finished sixth in the Intermediaiare I championship. The 12-year-old Lightning Diamond gelding, who was bred in Co Galway by Jan Keck, is out of the Ibn Morafic mare Morafics Diamond.

Carn Verdon Boy

Once again, the winner of the Abbeyleix Owen trophy for the highest-placed Connemara at the highest level was Carn Verdon Boy. Partnered by Alana Cazabon, the 13-year-old grey gelding by Ferdia was awarded a score of 64.78 in the same Intermediaire I.

Treo Eile, the organisation which tracks and promotes the careers of ex-racehorses and unraced thoroughbreds in other equestrian disciplines, presented rugs and rosettes to Nicki Russell following Sizing Australia’s second-place finish in the Preliminary Category 2 championship, to Becky Grimes who was 14th in the Novice Category 1 championship on Tullyland Tempo, to Leanne Sheeran-Hayes who was sixth in the Elementary freestyle with Taylor’s Guest and to Michael Boyd following Getadate’s third-place finish in the Medium Category 3.