THE Northern Region of Dressage Ireland held their summer regional finals on Saturday, August 17th at Castle Irvine, Necarne, where, in the lovely walled garden, all but one of the tests were assessed by List 1 judges Sharon Butterworth (British Dressage) or Vida Tansey (Dressage Ireland).

There were 11 championships classes on the schedule with the highest score (70%) being awarded by Tansey in the 12-runner Keeway Equestrian Surfaces Elementary DI52 to Lisa Dundee riding Patricia Cannon’s Irish Sport Horse mare RoundThorn Nice N Easy, a six-year-old daughter of Formidable.

In the Butterworth-judged Medium championship (DI77), in which there were three starters, Dundee and RoundThorn Nice N Easy finished second (65.57%) to Joan Adrain and her Dutch Warmblood gelding VSH Moviestar (67.14), a seven-year-old Johnson bay. Chair of the Northern Region, Adrain (List 6) started her day judging the non-championship Intro class.

Karen Murray won the open championship for the third time in four years on her Dutch Warmblood gelding VSH Gangster, a 13-year-old bay by Zambuka, when recording uncontested successes before Butterworth in the Prix St George (65.44%) and Intermediate I (63.53). Earlier in the day, Murray saw off 11 rivals when winning the Butterworth-judged EFEC Nutrition Novice championship on another KWPN-registered gelding, Mister Galaxie Win (69.48). This seven-year-old chesnut by Grand Galaxy Win is out of the Roman Nature mare Werlinda.

Eight combinations contested the Preliminary championship where Tansey’s winner on 69.23% was Shenade Duggan on her ISH gelding Homegrown Hendrix who was bred in Co Down by Sylvia Henry. The eight-year-old Obelix bay is out of the British-bred G.G. mare Rockhill Gold.

There was only one starter in each of the other Graded championships which were judged by Butterworth and the winners were Katy Mae McElwee on Santa Monica Bay (Junior Preliminary), Orlaith O’Hagan with OOS Diego (Advanced Medium) and Laragh O’Grady on Mullentine Emerald Wolfe Tone (FEI Grand Prix). The visiting judge also assessed those competing in the day’s two Trailblazers classes won by Emily Roberstown on Hillside Nicely Dun (Under 10 Intro) and Harriet O’Hagan riding Micky Blue Eyes (Preliminary).

The organisers also ran non championship classes, providing owners and riders with an opportunity to obtain qualifying scores for the National Championships at Ballindenisk next weekend.