The AIRC West Region dressage qualifiers were held in Eglinton Equestrian Centre on Saturday 13th July. The qualifier had originally been scheduled to take place at the end of May, but a sudden, tragic bereavement within the local riding club community forced the change of date to mid-July. Seven Teams took part in the qualifier. With two arenas running, and judging provided by Coreen Abernethy and Jacqui McPherson, the day ran off quickly and efficiently. The surrounding clubs cooperated to provide the necessary stewards, scribes, and scorekeepers for the day, meaning everyone was able to take their chances in the competitions. In addition to the qualifier classes there were both Prix Caprilli and a most entertaining Freestyle Dressage to Music that attracted good support from riders not usually tempted to a dressage show. Two teams qualified for the championships that are scheduled to take place at Mullingar Equestrian Centre on September 1st. Taking the first place prize of team rugs, with a score of 206.08, was Inishowen Riding Club’s team of Claire Kirkwood, Andrea Browne, Cate O’Neill and Lauren McLaughlin. They had a comfortable margin over the second placed team from the Donegal Gaeltacht club, whose three-lady team of Ciara Boyle, Emily Schneider and Sharon Murphy bagged the remaining qualification spot with a score of 200.3. Stracomer RC fielded three teams and took third place with their team of Victoria Hopkins, Amy McGarvey, Clodagh Brady and Eilish Calgie.
In the individual competitions the qualifying spots were well spread over the participating clubs. Inishowen’s Linda Doherty took the win in the RCP1 class, while in the RCP2 class, Stracomer’s Victoria Hopkins came out on top. Victoria rode the grey mare Madges Lane Jen to secure the highest score of the day with 71.25% on the scoreboard. The RCP3 class went to the only man competing on the day as Letterkenny’s Francis McNicholl rode a super test on Kerrykeel Darcey to nail success on a score of 69.82%. The RCN class went to Inishowen’s Cate O’Neill, whose lovely young mare, Shanaghan Grace, put in an excellent test.
The non-qualifier classes attracted great interest, with the Prix Caprilli throwing up some interesting techniques as riders jumped in their dressage saddles. The RCP1/RCP2 was won by Stracomer’s Clodagh Brady, while the RCP3 and Above fell to Cate O’Neill from Inishowen. The Freestyle Dressage to Music was a big hit with the spectators, as some good foot-stomping tunes thundered over the excellent sound system supplied by Eglinton Equestrian Club. Letterkenny’s Jennie Peoples bagged the RCP1/RCP2 class with a rousing Beatles playlist, while Stracomer’s Amy McGarvey rode her TB Fin Rough Diamond to victory in the RCP3 and Above category.
You can find updated Qualified Rider & Horse Combinations at this link: AIRC National Dressage Championships 2024
Report: Rachel Carton
