MONDAY’s third and final session of the Botanica International Dressage In The City Summer Festival at the National Horse Sport Arena, Abbotstown was divided between Freestyle classes and a section devoted to Trailblazer riders.

Having shared judging duties with Michael Moore on the Saturday, Irish International Grand Prix rider Dane Rawlins took sole charge of the Freestyle classes, awarding his highest score of 75% to Tara Oliver Donohoe and Senators Rhonaldo in the two-runner Prix St George.

Waterford’s Emily Kate Robinson recorded an unopposed success in the Intermediaire I on the Dutch Warmblood gelding Edvaard (67.63), a 13-year-old bay by Christ, having earlier seen off a two-pronged challenge in the Medium on board Kekepania (74.17).

Leinster Dressage’s Lorna O’Hare, joint-organiser of the Festival with Petra Larkin, topped the scoreboard in the three-strong Elementary class with her own Irish Sport Horse gelding, DBS Oisinn (70.58). A nine-year-old by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan, the bay is out of the unraced Close Conflict mare Leadmore Myth.

The six-year-old Alhebayeb gelding Bobby Cool, who ran six times on the flat and once over hurdles as a three-year-old, when trained Andrew McNamara, carried owner/breeder Liisa Rantamaki to victory on 71.39 in the two-runner Preliminary while there were unopposed wins for Louisa Williams Byrne and her Dutch Warmblood gelding Cor (68.33), a 15-year-old chesnut by Dreamcatcher, in the Novice and for Helen Dunne and her Württemberger gelding Felino (65.67), a 12-year-old bay by Fidertanz, in the Advanced Medium.

Freestyle classes

It was a pity that Leinster Dressage didn’t receive greater support for their decision to run the Freestyle classes on a separate day. “I thought it was really nice to ride competitively for three days at a home show and it was a shame that the organisers didn’t get the 45 entries they had hoped for,” said Emily Kate Robinson. “It was nice to see people who aren’t involved in dressage being attracted into the walled garden by the music and then staying to watch some of the tests.”