Top eight Grand Prix finish for Heike Holstein as Irish Sport Horses make their mark at competitions around Europe

Irish Dressage rider Heike Holstein today (Sunday) recorded an impressive result at the four-star German show in Dortmund, taking eighth place in the Grand Prix Special with the Irish Sport Horse mare Sambuca (by Samarant) with a score of 66.404%. Victory went to Germany’s Isabel Werth with Emilio 107 on a score of 79.128%.

Ireland’s Heike Holstein, pictured here with her horse Chameur, finished eighth this weekend with her Irish Sport Horse Sambuca at Dortmund in Germany

On Friday in Dortmund, Heike Holstein, who is the reigning Irish national champion, achieved the first of two qualifying scores required for the 2019 FEI European Dressage Championships when scoring 68.217% with her home-bred Irish mare.

Meanwhile in Show Jumping, Co Down’s Dermott Lennon and The Irish Sport Horse MJM Pursuit took victory in Saturday’s John Deere sponsored 1m45 Grand Prix at Vejer De La Frontera in Spain. At Herning in Denmark, Mayo’s Cameron Hanley and the Irish Sport Horse ESI Toulouse finished as runners-up Sunday’s two-star Grand Prix behind British winner Louise Saywell with Golden Arrow OL At Vilamoura in Portugal, Michael Pender and the Irish Sport Horse HHS Matilde finished fourth in the three-star Grand Prix.

Twenty-two-year-old Noelle Barry and Jolie VH Molenhof finished as runners up in the two-star Grand Prix at Gorla Minore in Italy where Jeremy Sweetnam also took fifth place for Ireland with Carthano.

BREEDING:
Sambuca (ISH) – 2009 Bay mare by Samarant (Hann) out of Astoria (ISH). Bred and owned by Heike Holstein

ESI Toulouse (ISH) – 2011 bay gelding by SIEC Livello (HOLST) out of Catina (BWP), by
Quasimodo VD Molendreef (BWP). Bred by Cian O’Connor, Co. Meath. Owner/Rider: Cameron Hanley (IRL)

MJM Pursuit (ISH) – 2009 bay mare by Aldato (KWPN) out of Mountain Mist (ISH), by
Limmerick (HOLST). Bred by Cyril Ferguson, Co. Tyrone. Owner: MJM Holdings Limited. Rider: Dermott Lennon (IRL)

HHS Matilde (ISH) – 2011 bay mare by Cardento (HOLST) out of A Touch Of Grey (ISH). Bred
by Marion Hughes, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Bravo Hughes Ltd. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL)