Thomastown and District Riding club claimed its second team championship qualifier of the year after the Kilkenny club won Connolly’s Red Mills Team Dressage Championship qualifier recently.
Not to be outdone by their fellow members who earlier in the summer qualified for the Team Show Jumping Championship final at the Dublin Horse Show next month, the all-female team of Caroline Carey (Stonehavens Olive), Jade Douglas (Carrigbeg Coco) and Jo Ford (Blacklake Richard) booked their place at the Team Dressage final later next month.
It was a special day for Caroline Carey as it was her first day out for the Kilkenny club when she recorded the highest score on the day with 90.1%.
Also qualifying for nationals and pipped into second place was the Coole-Lane RC debutantes made up of Antonia de Burgh on Gypsy Cobra Cruis, who swapped the show ring for the dressage arena for the weekend, Lisa Mulhall who made her return to competition riding The Prodigal Son, and Sandra Myers riding her Irish Draught Hio Crosstown Lad.
The neighbouring Warrington club completed the top three teams after Caroline O’ Neill (Miss Double Dutch), Fiona Morrissey (Brent), Marie Louise Nolan (June Flight) and Alan Cope (Newtown Lad).
Waterford Riding Club finished just outside the top three in fourth place while Barrow Valley took fifth place ahead of the Carne team in sixth.
With the team competitions out of the way it was time for the individuals to shine with the top six riders from each class earning their golden ticket to the national final.
UPDATE: This article was amended on 23rd July as the Warrington Team incorrectly included Ashlee McGuinness (Miss Lily Flight) instead of Fiona Morrissey (Brent).
