Para Dressage – Irish Riders pick up ribbons at Deauville

IRISH para dressage riders acquitted themselves with distinction at the three-star team championship event in Deauville, France today (Friday) with Helen Kearney and the Irish-bred Mister Cool topping the achievements with a win in the Grade 1a event, where Geraldine Savage and Blues Tip Top Too also took third place.

Eilish Byrne and Youri were third in the Grade II class, with Kate Kerr-Horan on Terence Hill finishing fifth.

A fourth place in the Grade 1b event was achieved by Breda Bernie with Ukina Van Beekdal, and also by Rosemary Gaffney and Aldham Mill Dubloon in the Grade IV class. Ireland also had two more top ten places in the Grade IV, with James Dwyer and Orlando finishing ninth and Angela Lyons on Farenheit taking 10th.

On Saturday the riders continued their run of good form in the Individual Dressage Championships, with Eilish Byrne and Youri picking up a second place in the Grade II competition, with Kate Horan and Terence Hill placing fourth.

Helen Kearney with the Irish-bred Mister Cool took fourth in the Grade 1a class, while Geraldine Savage and Blues Tip Top Too were sixth.

Breda Bernie and Ukina Van Beekdal were also sixth in the Grade 1b competition, while James Dwyer and Orlando improved on their Friday performance with a sixth place finish in the Grade IV, Rosemary Gaffney and Aldham Mill Dubloon claiming 8th and Angela Lyons with Farenheit in tenth.
RESULTS:
GRADE II Team
3rd Eilish Byrne/Youri 67.857 per cent
5th Kate Kerr-Horan/Terence Hill 66.667 per cent
1st Natasha Baker (GBR)/Cabral 74.429 per cent

GRADE IB Team
4th Breda Bernie/Ukina Van Beekdal 65.091 per cent
1st José Lorquet (BEL)/Fly Over 70.882 per cent

GRADE IA Team
1st Helen Kearney/Mister Cool (ISH) 70.918 per cent
3rd Geraldine Savage/Blues Tip Top Too 69.647 per cent

GRADE IV Team
4th Rosemary Gaffney/Aldham Mill Dubloon 67.188 per cent
9th James Dwyer/Orlando 65.688 per cent
10th Angela Lyons/Fahrenheit 63.531 per cent
1st Line Thorning Jorgensen (DEN)/ Di Caprio 73.719 per cent