KILDARE dressage rider Sorrell Klatzko managed to chalk up two Grand Prix personal best scores at international shows in The Netherlands and Germany in just five days last week. Last Thursday, Klatzko and the 10-year-old Totilas progeny Turbo scored a personal best of 67.761% for 11th place in the Grand Prix class at the three-star show in Geesteren, The Netherlands.

They then scored 71.585% for fifth place in their first international Freestyle to Music completion. Fast forward to Monday and Sorrell set a new personal best Grand Prix score of 68.087% at Hagen CDI3* in Germany. The pair have now achieved the FEI 2024 Paris Olympic Games minimum eligibility requirement qualification.

Reflecting on a whirlwind few days, Sorrell said: “I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to ride such a generous horse. I’m delighted with today, it is great to get another personal best score. We had a little blip in the two tempi changes so I know the score could be higher. Turbo is still only 10 and is really maturing into himself.

“My husband Alex is with me on this trip which has made a huge difference as he has a great eye and knows me and knows the horse. I gave Turbo an easy day yesterday, he was really fresh with me today and very expressive in the extended trot. There is a lot more to come from him in the future.”

Another Irish rider to pick up the first of two FEI European dressage championships minimum eligibility requirement (MER) qualification last weekend was Aberdeen-based Irish rider Fenella Quinn with Hawtins Delicato. The pair scored 66.370% in the Grand Prix class and placed ninth in the Grand Prix Special on 64.234% at Wellington CDI3* in Britain.

Newly appointed dressage high performance director Anne Marie Dunphy currently has six qualified riders and nine qualified horses to consider for selection for the 2023 European championships in Riesenbeck where three Paris Olympic Games team places will be on offer. The team selection deadline is August 8th 2023.