Laura Fitzsimons recorded the highest score of the day at the Connolly’s Red Mills National Dressage Championships to win the Advanced Primary title last Sunday.
The Navan resident riding a 16-year-old grey Connemara, Kilronan Duff, produced an impressive score of 82.83% in her morning performance and followed this up with 74.29% to claim the title from a field of 37 starters.
The Ashbrook riders total of 157.11% gave her a less than 2% to spare over Mosstown’s Sarah Phelan who finished in second place on 155.57% on Addrigoole Lightening Jack.
Fitzsimons said afterwards, “I’m absolutely over the moon with the and I still can’t believe it. I’ve owned Kilronan Duff for the last 7 years but we both only took up competing in dressage 3 years ago.”
I took a break from show jumping in the past year to concentrate in my dressage with the help of my trainer, Gillian Archer Murphy. Kilronan Duff is officially on his holidays now and I can’t wait to see what next year brings,” she added.
At the championships, competitors ride two tests in front of different judges, with their scores accumulated, to determine the fate of the national titles.
Catherine O’Sullivan won the Intermediate championship after a stunning performance from Paintwork Lad from a field of 30 starters. The Corrib rider was third after the morning test on 66.67% but added 80.63% in her afternoon test to move up the leaderboard into the top spot.
Her tally of 147.29% gave her a significant advantage over Emma Walsh (Inis Blossom) from Kilrainy on 140.60% while Melanie King, who led after the morning session, had to settle for third place on Drumin Gregory on 139.67%.
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27 riders contested the Advanced Intermediate championship where Mary Bradley (Mister Boombastic) led after the morning session on 70.65%. The Kerry member extended her lead in the afternoon with another impressive test to finish on a winning score of 141.48%. Earl’s Well member Aine O’Loughlin took the blue ribbon on Heatherville Moss on 135.63%.
Michael Moore claimed another national dressage title for the second year in a row, this time in the Advanced Open division. The Donaghmede resident led from start to finish on Smart Decision who registered a score of 140.19%. Twinfort’s Tabitha Millar Hagerty (Ballylynch HP) was next best on 136.45%.
In the Open championship, Owen Smyth claimed a narrow win on Dark Site after the Crecora resident finished on a tally of 143.60%. The Twinfort member had just over one percent to spare over Thomasina O’Reilly on Rosscon Camille who finished on 142.39% for Mosstown.
In the Primary championship, Caroline Carey won the honours on Stonehavens Olive. The Thomastown & District rider moved up from joint fourth to pole position after an impressive afternoon test to finish on 141.72%. Mary Leahy (Gooseberry Hill Billy) finished closest on 139.14% to take the blue ribbon for Kerry Riding Club.
Elsewhere in the non-championship classes, Mosstown’s Emer O’Donnell claimed the spoils in the Advanced Primary division on Mosstown Tod while Patricia McDermott topped the Intermediate class on Saddlers Mystery IRE for Clonlara. Warrington’s Billie Mae Geoghegan won the Advanced Intermediate division on Brokenhearted Kate IRE while Aisling Deverall won the newly introduced Young Horse class on Annaharvey Dunowen.
(Image: Lorraine O’Sullivan)
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