IRELAND’S Paris-bound dressage rider Abi Lyle scored 67.723% with her own and Caroline Clarry’s gelding Giraldo for fourth place in the Grand Prix Special at the international three-star show in Hartpury, Britain, last weekend.

Abi and 13-year-old KWPN Giraldo, bred by Leon Eggink, were selected by HSI dressage high performance director Anne Marie Dunphy for the individual dressage slot at the 2024 Olympic Games. Lyle confirmed that Hartpury was their final CDI show before heading to the Château de Versailles.

“I was happy with the trot work in the Grand Prix here at Hartpury, probably some of the best we have ever done and with the quality of the canter work in the Grand Prix Special. I just need to get them both spot on in the same test for a higher score. Giraldo will have a week off next week, hacking and relaxing. I will then be training with Carl Hester and Gareth Hughes before travelling to France on July 25th.

“I’m looking forward to the Olympic Games, Giraldo is a good boy, he is very reliable. We have been to the FEI Dressage World Championships in Denmark and the FEI Dressage World Cup in London, he is not spooky and doesn’t get phased by crowds and big arenas. It is a fantastic opportunity for both of us and we will be putting our best foot forward for Ireland,” Lyle said.

Abi Lyle with Giraldo, pictured at Addington Manor CDI \ Aisling Deverell

Dream debut

Irish rider Róisín Henry described her international debut at Hartpury with the 12-year-old Lusitano stallion Habil as “a dream come true”. On the opening day of the CDI small tour, Róisín scored 69.471% for second place in the Prix St-Georges class. She claimed another podium finish scoring 69.412% for second in the Intermediate One class. Henry completed a debut international to remember, with a top 10 finish in the Intermediate One Freestyle to Music class on 69.580%.

The Tipperary-based rider commutes regularly to her trainer Carl Hester’s yard in England, where her horse is based. Reflecting on her first international outing, Róisín said: “Carl suggested we do a CDI. It was very wet on Friday morning and we were first in.

“To be honest, heading down the centre line in the rain, I wasn’t too sure how it was going to go. Being a stallion, he can get distracted, but Habil settled back and worked with me and posted a great score. I have been riding him since 2019 and Carl always thought he was strong, athletic and forward-going. He was on the job again in the Inter One and I was over the moon with the score, the judges saw what Carl saw and really liked him.

“I made a couple [of] mistakes in the freestyle, but we still posted a 69.580% score. I would not be here without the help of Sue Smallman and Vitaliy Halstyan and I’m very grateful to both of them. Carl is an amazing trainer, he was at the show and there is nobody like him for his insights. It was a great weekend and the dream now is to compete at Grand Prix level.”