CATEGORY 1 rider Denise Kelly Rice had a rewarding journey down from Newry to Co Kildare last Sunday as she won the Preliminary qualifier at the final leg of this year’s Horse Sport Ireland dressage autumn development series in JAG on Forvanna with whom she took part in the recent Judges’ Gala at Spruce Lodge.

Seventeen combinations came before Bernie Foley who had Kelly Rice and Forvanna at on the top of her leaderboard on 70.40%, just marginally ahead of Louise Fellowes and her 16-year-old chesnut gelding, Caherbrack Tim (70).

Forvanna, who is a four-year-old Westphalian mare by Formidable out of Rivanna (by Rheingau), is being produced at the rider’s Moorhill Stables for American Pamela Wilson who lives in Leesburg, Virginia and also has a three-year-old with Rice Kelly.

“Forvanna, whose stable name is Annaka, was shipped in from Holland last year when I backed her before turning her away to further mature,” revealed a delighted Rice Kelly.

“I really have enjoyed riding her this season as a four-year-old. We’ve had a very successful season at Preliminary level as she won the Preliminary title at the National Championships where she also won the four-year-old championship. On Sunday, she was third on her first attempt at Novice on a score of 69.35.

“We are extremely excited for this mare’s future and are very much looking forward to next year. Until then she is on a well-deserved holiday.”

Sunday’s Novice qualifier was also judged by Foley and here she awarded her top score of 70.97 to Category 3 rider Emily Kate Robinson and the home-bred mare Kekepania, a six-year-old chesnut by Lingh out of Vitania, by Jazz. Northern region chair Joan Adrain finished second on Carolyn Mellor’s Dutch Warmblood gelding VSH Moviestar (70.65), a four-year-old son of Johnson.

Jane Whitaker judged the Elementary qualifier where Robinson and Kekepania had to settle for third (71.21) behind Sean Burgess and Anita Kelly’s Dutch Warmblood mare DHI Kikkis (72.41), a six-year-old bay by Netto, and Category 2 rider Mairead Dolan in second with her 18-year-old ISH gelding Master Touch (72.24).

In the age classes the winners were Killian Gaffney and his four-year-old ISH gelding My Bishophill Rolex (67.40), a bay by Cougar out of a Diamond Clover mare, Bronagh Stevenson and her five-year-old ISH mare Hans First Lady (67.90), a grey by Hans out of a Mac’s Lad mare, and Jennifer Rea with her six-year-old ISH gelding Fermoyle Charles (71.21), a bay by S Creevagh Ferro out of a Captain Clover mare.