THERE were a number of special awards presented over the first two days of the Botanica International Dressage In The City Summer Festival which was held at the National Horse Sport Arena in Abbotstown last weekend.

The Festival’s leading rider, Tara Oliver Donohue was further endowed with prizes as the winner of the TopSpec award on Saturday when recording the highest percentage score by a Category 3 rider across the Medium to Grand Prix classes.

Also on Saturday, the feed company’s Shirley Jones presented similar awards to Rose Grimes (Category 1 rider across Preliminary and Novice classes) and Killian Gaffney (Category 2 rider across Elementary and Medium classes). Sunday’s winners were Emma Kieran, Jenny Doran and Jodie Scully.

TIHA Award

The Traditional Irish Horse Association sponsored an award for the highest percentage score recorded over Saturday and Sunday by a TIH-bred horse and this went to Mystical Meg who, on 72.64%, won the Novice championship for Category 3 riders under Emma Kieran. Owned and bred by Lorli Higgins, the lightly-campaigned 12-year-old dun mare is by the Connemara stallion Ashfield Romeo out of the thoroughbred mare Mystic Oak (by Waajib).

TIHA rosettes were also presented to Jenny Doran and her home-bred Horseplay Game Changer, a six-year-old Carrick Diamond Lad gelding who took second place in the Category 3 Preliminary championship on 68.63, and to Sarah Elebert who placed sixth in the Elementary championship with the 10-year-old Sirillio mare Hallybop Comet (65.03).

The winner’s rug and rosettes were presented by TIHA secretary Frances Horgan who commented: “We were thrilled to have the Association sponsor this class to highlight the place of the TIH in Irish dressage.”

Using the same criteria, Treo Eile sponsored an award for a thoroughbred horse and this went to the well-known Arvika Ligeonniere who finished fifth (67.67) in the Novice championship for Category 2 riders in the hands of owner Louise Duffy. This 17-year-old French-bred gelding by Arvico has over 60 Dressage Ireland points and 12 Eventing Ireland points which were earned following a career on the track which saw him win 10 races, including seven graded chases.

Arvika Ligeonniere was trained by Willie Mullins who this week announced the retirement of the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo and that, in future, the 10-year-old Buck’s Boum gelding, who won eight other races, would be campaigned by Louise. She was presented with her award on Sunday by Treo Eile’s executive officer, Anne O’Connor.

The Dunbyrne Equestrian Livery award for the leading veteran horse (16-year-olds and upwards) was presented to Amy Jo Peskens, owner/rider of Lucy Lulu who finished second (71.35) in the Preliminary championship for Category 2 riders. This 2004 Irish Sport Horse mare by Red House Condor was bred in Co Carlow by Geraldine Hendricken.