THE Drummindoo Stud outside Westport hosted its second Dressage Ireland-affiliated show of the year last Sunday when the judging duties at this Midland and Western Region fixture, which had to be re-scheduled twice, fell solely to Vida Tansey (List 1).

There were a lot of no-shows during the day, particularly in the Preliminary DI6. Here, just six combinations started with the overall leaderboard being headed by Simone Hession on her home-bred Irish Sport Horse mare Beezies Dawn Cruise (65.96%), a nine-year-old grey by CC Captain Cruise out of Beezies Rose (by Moot Point).

Tansey awarded her highest score of the day, 66.94%, to Julie Spring who achieved that mark in the five-runner Preliminary DI15 on her thoroughbred gelding Mr Vincent, an unraced eight-year-old Watar half-brother to two winners on the track.

The day’s only double was recorded by Lilly Berry McLaughlin on her Connemara gelding General Sinatra, a 13-year-old grey by General Humbert. The combination saw off three rivals when scoring 66.94% in the Novice DI23 and one when being awarded 63.46 in the Elementary DI46.

The sole starter in the second Elementary class, the DI50, was Petra Hewer riding the ISH mare MCLC Miss Moneypenny (57.93), a tall 11-year-old by Tolan R while the match for honours in the Novice DI26 was won by Renee Patience who scored 63.62% on board the 10-year-old bay gelding Zebe de Rover.

Catherine Ferrie won the three-runner DI Introductory A with Gweebara Tommy (65%) after which Síofra Gielty partnered Mr G (60.58) to victory in the Trailblazer Preliminary in which there were also just three starters. The next show in the region is scheduled for Sunday, March 30th, back at Drummindoo Stud.

Fixtures

It’s a busy weekend for the Eastern Region of Dressage Ireland as their regional awards function and members’ dinner took place last night (Friday) at the Parkview Hotel, Newtownmountkennedy while today they are holding a show at their usual venue of Marlton Stud.

The North Munster Region are staging their last fixture in advance of the national winter finals at Castle Irvine, Necarne (April 12th and 13th) today at the Tipperary Equestrian Centre, Thurles and tomorrow the South Munster region are running a show at the Greybrook West Centre near Bandon.

There are two shows scheduled for next Sunday, March 16th. The Northern Region will hold a leg of its Brass Stables UK and Ireland winter league at Castle Irvine, Necarne while the South East Region is once again running a show at Barnadown where Dermot Cannon (List 1) will be taking judges’ training for all levels up to 3A.

DI training camps

It was great to learn that Mark Ruddock, chairman of Dressage Ireland, has booked himself in as one of the coaches for two DI training camps in May. Also listed are Fiona Hayes, Anna Merveldt, Clive Milkins, Joanne Jarden, Kate Dwyer and Sean Burgess.

The camps will take place at Castle Irvine, Necarne (May 3rd and 4th) and at Ballindenisk (May 10th and 11th) when senior riders (also youth riders if they prefer) will have two individual lessons each day, youth riders will have two shared lessons each day and elevate riders will have two group lessons each day.