THE mother and daughter duo of international dressage riders, Louise and Sophia Doheny, hosted their first Dressage Ireland show last Friday at Slieve Bloom Stud and plan to expand this side of the operation at their Clonaslee, Co Laois breeding and training base.

“It was a beautiful day, the weather was perfect and we were delighted with the turn out and lovely atmosphere,” stated Louise, show secretary and organiser, who also had time to ride in the Medium class on Sandokan SBS (65.16%). “We have another show here on Sunday, June 9th, and will be holding lots more in the future.”

That Medium DI65, which was won narrowly by the only other starter, Ella Grace Ní Bhrionn on Sabrina Byrne’s 22-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Marlfield Fallon (65.31%), was the first of five classes assessed by Michael Moore (List 2A).

The north Dublin judge wasn’t under too much pressure in the following Prix St George as, from an entry of six, there were two retirements and three withdrawals, leaving Ballinrobe’s Sinead McGrath as the winner with Killard Precision (67.06%), her 14-year-old ISH gelding by Mermus R.

The marginally higher-scored of the two starters in the FEI children on horses’ team test was the combination of Millie Cosgrave on her mother Sarah Mellor’s Let’s Dance (69.47%); Maeve Deverell recorded an uncontested victory in the FEI pony team test with her mother Aisling’s Derravaragh Boy (69.43); while Valentina Villeco did likewise in the FEI young rider team test riding the Dohenys’ Angel D (63.09).

Tara Oliver riding Kokkedals Freyja won Novice DI27A at Slieve Bloom Stud Stud’s first Dressage Ireland show \ Aisling Deverell

The first of three tests judged by Ivor Harper (List 4) was the Preliminary DI8, won by Jean Halpenny on her ISH mare Shawslodge Cossino Bay (71.73%). This five-year-old by Lionwood Kinsales Lad was bred in Co Dublin by Paul Gallagher out of the Cassino mare Cossino Rose, an own-sister to Kashino (CSI4*). Half of the 10 entries were withdrawn in that class.

Six started in the Novice DI27A, where Halpenny and Shawslodge Cossino Bay were comfortably beaten into second (67.76%) by Tara Oliver and her seven-year-old Danish Warmblood mare Kokkedals Freyja (73.97).

Riding for her father Fergus, Lucy Maughan partnered both starters in the Elementary DI56A, winning on the 17-year-old bay gelding Valley View Sammy (72.42%) and placing second on the ISH mare Flyover Girl (71.29).