THE SILVER Spurs scheme aims to identify and develop talented young riders and encourage their progress by awarding training bursaries, giving direction and advice and providing a pathway to help them achieve an international standard in their chosen discipline.

ADELINDE Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival kept their cool under intense pressure to win the last qualifying leg of the 2009/2010 FEI World Cup™ Dressage series in Gothenburg, Sweden tonight. Sweden's Patrik Kittel produced the ride of his life with Watermill Scandic to slot into second place.

THE Netherlands' Edward Gal and Moorlands Totilas swept to victory in the seventh leg of the FEI World Cup™ Dressage series in Amsterdam this afternoon to rocket up to the top of the series leaderboard. Once again the dynamic Dutch duo recorded a score of 87.70% as they high-stepped their way to success with their unique sparkle and panache.

IRELAND'S Anna Merveldt completed a hat-trick of wins at the CDI3* international dressage show in La Mandria, Italy today (Sunday).

27/08/09 IRISH dressage rider Anna Merveldt and her 13 year-old gelding 'Coryolano' finished in 25th place in today's (Thursday) Grand Prix Special at Windsor, England.

26/08/09 IRISH dressage rider Anna Merveldt and her 13 year-old gelding 'Coryolano' registered a dressage score of 68.426 per cent at the European Championships in Windsor, England this afternoon (Wednesday) and is now certain to go through to Thursday's Grand Prix Special competition. With a total of 53 of Europe's best dressage riders competing in the Grand Prix, the 46 year-old Canadian-born rider had to finish in the top 30 today, and ended up with a 24th place. Ireland's other dressage competitor, Yvette Truesdale with 'Has To be Fun', finished the competition in 50th place on a score of 60.894 per cent. If Merveldt performs successfully on Thursday and finishes in the top 15 of the rankings, she will then go through to Saturday's Freestyle competition and the chance of a top European place.

23/08/09 IRELAND'S Para Equestrian dressage team finished in overall ninth place after three days of competition at the FEI European and Open Para-Equestrian Championships in Kristiansand, Norway this evening (Sunday).

23/07/09 IN AN historic day for Irish Dressage, Yvette Truesdale from Co. Down today (Thursday) secured her slot at the 2009 Alltech FEI European Dressage Championships in Windsor with a seventh place in the three-star Grand Prix at Hickstead, England. Truesdale, trained by leading international dressage trainers Conrad Schumacher and Ferdi Eilberg and riding 'Has to be Fun' owned by Jim Burgess, also ensured Ireland's second qualification for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) at Kentucky in 2010, alongside Anna Merveldt. Having achieved one score above 64 per cent at the three-star event at Haprtpury last week she today needed another to achieve European and WEG entry - and received it from Dutch FEI 'O' judge Wim Ernes.

10/05/09 IRELAND'S Anna Merveldt finished in third place in the Grand Prix Special at the three-star dressage show in La Mandria, Italy, today (Sunday) with James Connor's dark bay 13 year-old gelding 'Coryolano' on a score of 68.75 per cent. Yesterday Merveldt took a third place in the Grand Prix Special Qualifier on 'Coryolano' and on Friday won the opening Intermediaire II at the Italian show. Germany's Ulla Salzberger was today's winner with 'Herzruf's Erbe'. Canadian-born, Merveldt came to Ireland as an infant, and made dressage history last year with 'Coryolano' at the World Cup show in Lipica, Slovenia, when she and Judy Reynolds from Naas became the only Irish riders ever to win two classes at the same international event. Merveldt also won the Grand Prix Special in the World Cup dressage show at Marianske Lazne in the Czech Republic in August of last year. Reynolds and Merveldt were announced this week as members of Horse Sport Ireland's 2009 High Performance dressage squad, along with Yvette Truesdale and Anne-Marie Dunphy.

17/01/09 The board of Dressage Ireland has decided with great regret to cancel the CDI3* at Cavan Equestrian Centre from 30th April to 3rd May 2009. due to difficulty in securing the necessary sponsorship required to run the event in 2009. However it has been confirmed that the dressage festival will go ahead at Cavan Equestrian Centre from 1st to 3rd May 2009. Each year pony, junior and young rider teams from England, Scotland and Wales have travelled over to compete at the festival and the organisers looks forward to extending a warm Irish welcome to them once again in 2009. Ireland has for the first time been awarded a 'Dressage Masters at Hickstead' qualifier which will take place at the festival. The top four riders in each class from novice level will qualify to compete at the final which will be held at the famous Hickstead show grounds in August. Dressage Ireland would like to acknowledge the support of Dane Rawlins the Director of Dressage at Hickstead in awarding the 'Dressage Masters at Hickstead' qualifier to Ireland.