THE Northern Region of Dressage Ireland has suffered more than others because of the named storms and, against planned events elsewhere, attracted a small entry to their rescheduled Christmas show at Danescroft last Saturday, when many riders were festively attired. There was a high number of withdrawals.

The judging duties were divided between Vanda Stewart (2) and Rosi Gomes (3A), who were agreed on their winner at Novice level.

Riding her Irish Sport Horse gelding Roundthorn Oreo, Linda McIlwaine achieved a score of 71.88% in the Gomes-judged BD4, while she and her Vittorio five-year-old topped Stewart’s marks in the DI21 on 70.69.

There were six starters in both those non-restricted Novice classes and four in the Stewart-assessed Junior section (DI21), won by Amelia Wheeler riding Kay Magill’s traditionally-bred ISH mare Lisnahall Miss Toffee (67.86), a 19-year-old dun daughter of Song Of Freedom.

There were four starters also in both Elementary classes. In the BD40, Gomes had two combinations on 72.26, Category 2 rider Roma Oakes with Radar and Category 1 competitor Karen Murray with Mister Galaxie Win. Oakes had the higher collective mark (50-59) on her 14-year-old Anglo European Studbook-registered gelding by Wolkenderry.

Those two combinations also appeared in the DI56A before Stewart, who awarded what was easily her highest score (71.13) to Lisa Dundee on board Patricia Connon’s home-bred ISH mare RoundThorn Nice N Easy, a Formidable six-year-old.

At Preliminary level, Rachael Kernaghan claimed the two non-restricted classes on her 10-year-old black cob Scarborough Fair, scoring 68.08 in the Gomes-judged DI6 and 66.19 in the BD5, which was judged by Stewart. Eve Lindsay won the duel for honours in the Stewart-judged Junior class with the Connemara gelding Glenomore Tom (67.86), a six-year-old Gwennic de Goariva bay she used to event at EI80 level.

Adrain double

Regional chair Joan Adrain, who is on the board of Dressage Ireland, recorded a double on her Dutch Warmblood gelding Moviestar, scoring 63.19 in the Stewart-assessed Medium BD6, in which there were three starters, and then guiding the seven-year-old Johnson bay to victory on 67.50 in the Gomes-judged Advanced Medium class, the FEI Junior Preliminary test, in which there were two.

The only combination to come before Gomes in the Medium BD76 was Caroline Herron with her six-year-old grey gelding by Hoeks Ludo W, Clantara Lord Louis (66.36), while Mark Robinson also recorded an uncontested victory in the Advanced Medium 5 with Debbie Burns’s Master Caledonia (63.29). This was a first start at this level for the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Metall.

Gomes also judged the Intro, won by Sarah Ross on Destiney Gold (64.52), and the three Try Dressage classes – the Adult Introductory and the Adult Preliminary won by Cara Collins riding Mharlas Majestic Lady (66.43 and 70.96 respectively) and the Junior Preliminary, where Annie Morrow and Liberty’s Benjamin (68.85) were the only starters.

The next leg of the Brass Stables UK and Ireland winter league is scheduled to take place at Laurel View on Sunday, January 19th.