IRELAND’s para dressage athletes began their Paralympics campaigns on Tuesday with top 10 Grade III Individual finishes for Kate Kerr-Horan and Jessica McKenna and Grade I athlete Michael Murphy.

Kerr-Horan was first into the arena on board Lykkebo’s Don Akino, with the combination scoring 65.867% at a rain-soaked Chateua De Versailles.

Fifth to go, the pair grew very well into their test and Kerr-Horan was delighted with Lykkebo’s Don Akino leaving the arena to a warm reception from the crowd, finishing ninth overall, just shy of qualification for Saturday’s Freestyle.

On her Paralympics debut, McKenna and Davidoff 188 scored an excellent 65.033%, which left them in 10th position overall and she cut a smiling figure afterwards.

Kate Kerr-Horan on Lykkebo's Don Akino during the Grade III individual event \ Sportsfile

Positive

High Performance Para Dressage Director Debora Pijpers was pleased with the two performances. She said: “We’re very happy with both of the girls and their horses – they were very positive and showed some really nice movements. Their horses were with them and the riders gave it everything – I couldn’t have asked for more.

“Kate and Lykkebo’s Don Akino had a really good experience – they are still a very young combination, quite new to each other. I really wanted Kate to keep ‘Akino’ calm, relaxed and focused and she did that.

“It was a very consistent test with lots of fluent moments, and while it’s a little disappointing for her that she was just edged out of qualification for the Freestyle, she can be extremely proud of finishing ninth at the Paralympics.

“Jessica started really strongly with some excellent marks early on – she was very positive on Davidoff 188, riding very nicely.

“It was a little unfortunate that she dropped down a little, losing points at her leg yields and her walks but it was an excellent test on her Paralympics debut and with some little improvements to those areas this combination will be even better and it will all come together.

“Like Kate, Jessica showed some really promising moments and it’s great that she has also finished in the top 10 – I’m very proud.”

Murphy ninth

Michael Murphy finished ninth place in the Individual Grade I competition after scoring 70.417% at Versailles. Multiple world and European medal-winner Murphy and his mount Cleverboy put together a superb test on the 17-year-old at the Paralympics, and finished ninth of 22 overall. They just missed out on qualification for Saturday’s Freestyle.

Despite not qualifying for the Freestyle, there was pride in abundance with the performance. Describing the test as “the ride of my life”, Murphy described how it made up for his disappointing finish at Tokyo three years ago.

He said: “The first day in Tokyo didn’t go to plan, I lost a rein and Cleverboy really looked after me that day, so it was really nice to go in on day one this time and ride properly, especially in such an amazing arena. I’m feeling incredible.

“In the four years I’ve been working with Cleverboy he has taken me around the world, and to heights I could never have imagined. To be able to go into an arena like that and perform so well together, I’m so happy.”

Pijpers added: “I honestly couldn’t be happier with Michael’s performance out there – I don’t think he could have done much more, to be honest. They showed fantastic rhythm and flow and a tremendous suppleness throughout the test. And the stretch was also brilliant.

“We must remember, for someone with Michael’s physical impairment it’s very difficult to do that stretch at such a high level.

“Obviously there’s a little bit of disappointment that Michael was so close to qualifying for the Freestyle, because they performed so well, but it just shows how fierce the competition was out there that such a great test missed out.

“But Michael is very happy with his test and as a team we are all happy with it. He could do no more.”

Sarah Slattery rides her individual test today (Wednesday) at 14.35 local time (13.35 Irish time).