THE Leinster Region of Dressage Ireland held the final of its ARKequine and Derby spring and summer league last Sunday at Greenogue where those in contention for league prizes had to compete on the day.

There was a full programme of classes and all but four had at least two starters. Those who recorded uncontested wins were Kevin Acres riding Ganesh (66.96%) in the FEI Grand Prix, Emma Dillon with Designer Swatch (64) in the five-year-old young horse class, Rosemary Gaffney with Freedom in the two Para Grade IV Grand Prix (65.14 and 73.66) and the Junior Novice Trailblazer Lauren Blake riding Little Miss Beeze (68.55).

There were some very close results at Preliminary level. Lindsey Ilona Blake (List 5) had both Niamh Mahon with her Irish Sport Horse gelding Royal Ark and Kevin Acres with the unregistered Greenogue Dilly on 72.69% in the DI8 – and both had a collective score of 68. Ann Glynn (List 3) judged the DI18 where the Category 1 riders Abbey Ferris on How Ya Sammy and Klara Ralph O’Connor on Gatsby Blue were both awarded her top score of 71.88; Ferris edged it with the better collective mark, 65 to 64.5.

Novice classes

Kate Dwyer won both well-filled Novice classes on her mother Maureen’s ISH gelding Ri Ra An Tanaiste, being awarded 77% by Ilona Brady in the DI24A and 70.34 by Glynn in the DI27A. Tara Hayes mirrored that feat at Advanced Medium level on her mother Fiona’s Dutch Warmblood gelding Ferrero K. In the DI90, judged by Maire Hennessy (List 2), they achieved a score of 68.82 while in the DI91, judged by Dermot Cannon (List 1), they won on 66.54.

Cannon judged the two FEI Junior tests where Cillian Curran and Dancing Espri on both occasions bettered the scores of Rachel Carr and Calliaghstown Silver Doolin. In the FEI Pony tests, it was a similar story as Maeve Deverell riding Derravaragh Boy scored higher than Aoife Nee on board Maracuja AG. Deverell also won the Medium DI65 with Annaharvey Dunowen, scoring an excellent 72.50.