The Irish three day eventing team trail their Team GB counterparts after today’s (Friday) dressage phase in the Dubarry Boyne Trophy at Tattersalls in Co. Meath. However, a strong dressage performance by Irish riders, in what is traditionally the weakest of their three phases, has left them well in touch, with the show jumping and cross country phases to come.
The best Irish score came from Camilla Speirs and Portersize Just a Jiff on 41.4 penalties which leaves her lying second individually. Together with Liz Power and September Bliss (49.8) and Mark Kyle with Coolio (50.6) it puts Ireland on a dressage total of 141.8.
Britain’s leading rider is Ruth Edge and the experienced Two Thyme who leads the individual competition on 34.0. Together with Ollie Townend on Armada (48.8) and Polly Stockton on Regulus (50.4) this gives team GB a dressage total of 133.2.
Ireland’s Aoife Clark is lying third individually with Master Crusoe (ISH) on 42.4 penalties while Capt. Geoff Curran is fourth on The Jump Jet (ISH). Both of these riders are competing as individuals.
Team Ireland Equestrian Eventing High Performance Manager Ginny Elliot said that overall she was happy with the Irish performance. “To have a team average of well under 50 is testament to the work the riders have been putting in. We are well in touch and hopefully we can make up ground in the other two phases,” she said.
“There were other good individual performances from Capt Geoff Curran and Aoife Clarke, in her first international outing in 2012, who both had scores below 45, which is very encouraging,” she said. The Dubarry Boyne Trophy is part of the George Mernagh Memorial CIC 3* and sees British riders compete directly against Team Ireland Equestrian.
