THE Midlands and Western Region staged the only Dressage Ireland show in the country last weekend with entries closing a week in advance as they had reached capacity at Annaharvey Farm.

“Sunday’s show ran very well thanks to the great support we have from riders based at Annaharvey Farm who volunteer to steward each time and keep everything running smoothly,” commented show secretary, Aisling Deverell. “We couldn’t have asked for better weather in February as it was cold but dry and calm.”

Eight of the 11 classes were won by riders based at the Co. Offaly equestrian centre with four of those going the way of Deverell’s daughter Maeve. Because of withdrawals, the 13-year-old recorded uncontested victories in both FEI pony classes with the 11-year-old 138cms roan gelding Derravaragh Boy scoring 63.86% in the team test and 65.41 in the individual.

Both of these classes were judged by Bernie Webb (List 3A) who also had Deverell at the top of her leaderboard in the two Medium competitions where she partnered the home-bred Irish Sport Horse gelding Annaharvey Dunowen, a 10-year-old dun by Radolin.

In the DI65, Deverell scored 67.19% while her sole rival, Melanie King, was on 62.81 with Gortacleeva John. In the DI77, Deverell and Annaharvey Dunowen were awarded a score of 69.14 with Michelle Gilligan achieving a mark of 62 on board Avalon Runkum.

Comfortable victory

Webb also judged both Elementary classes, awarding her highest score in the six-runner EI52 to Category 2 rider Lorraine Kennedy and her ISH gelding Major Furisto (70.28%). Now 19 years of age, the Garrison Royal bay recorded a comfortable victory over his nearest rival, the Rebecca McGrath-ridden Terbofens Queen Two (67.5), a seven-year-old daughter of Quater Back Junior.

Major Furisto was one of three horses withdrawn from the DI56A where, on 67.42%, McGrath and her German riding pony easily saw off their sole opponents, Patricia Frost and Ballj Spirit (63.06).

Webb awarded her highest score of the day in the eight-strong Novice DI24A where Category 1 rider Mai Monahan topped the leaderboard with the Welsh Section B gelding Saltre Imperial Commander (75.5%) who she also competes in Irish Pony Club activities as a member of the Laois Branch. A 10-year-old chesnut by Saltre Ambassador, Saltre Imperial Commander is out of the Mynach Flower Power mare Wian Roberta.

Category 2 Nina Reinbold Molloy finished second on David Gray’s home-bred ISH mare Kingsborough Samira (69.33%), a six-year-old bay by Sandro K.

The day’s other four classes were judged by Máirín Cassidy (List 4) whose winner of the seven-runner Novice DI27A was Category 1 rider Julie Polden on her ISH mare Kilnoe Clover (71.9%), a 16-year-old bay by Temple Clover. Here, Reinbold Molloy and Kingsborough Samira again had to settle for second on 71.21.

Winning start

Competing in a dressage competition for the first time, Jeanmarie Conroy won the 11-strong Preliminary DI4 in the short arena on board the 14-year-old grey cob Annaharvey Mungo (71.8%). On the same overall mark but with a point lower collective score, Lynda O’Brien placed second on Annaharvey Bantry Bay with whom she competes in Riding Club activities as a member of Annaharvey RC. This 14-year-old bay ISH mare by the Connemara stallion Dunlewey Séamus is a half-sister to the above-mentioned Annaharvey Dunowen.

The day’s highest score of 76.54% was achieved in the eight-runner Preliminary DI8 by Niamh Mahon on the 21-year-old ISH gelding Royal Ark. A bay son of VDL Arkansas, the winner was bred by Oinri Jackson out of Cappa Bloom (by Robertstown Boy VII). The winning combination finished well clear of the second-placed Cassandra Morris and her Dutch Warmblood gelding Lots Of Joy (70), a seven-year-old by Negro.

Aimee Conroy likewise recorded a comprehensive victory in the match for honours in the Trailblazers’ Preliminary DI4 where she scored 70.8% on board the 12-year-old Templebready Fear Buí gelding Templebready Wise Guy ahead of Ben Mahon on Joyton Regal Princess (65.4).

The Midland and Western Region’s winter league final takes place tomorrow at the showgrounds in Ballinasloe.