Last week the European Championships were on in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Ireland had some great teams taking part in this Massive Event, however the highlight of the Irish Week had to be the Irish Dressage Team. Not only did Irish Dressage have a first by making history to have the first ever Irish Dressage Team qualify for the Europeans Championships 2019. Our all lady Irish Dressage Team, known affectionately as the Girls in Green, decided to take it to the next level. This Fantastic Four pulled together, performed their socks off, and sealed the deal, making History yet again, by achieving an Irish Dressage Team Qualification for the Olympics in Tokyo 2020!
The team made up of; Judy Reynolds and Vancouver K; Heike Holstein and Sambuca, Anna Merveldt and Esporim and Kate Dwyer and Snowdon Faberge, performed with belief and gusto and achieved what just last year seemed a pipe dream.
The Irish Dressage Team Qualify for Tokyo 2020.
Kate Dwyer was the first to go for the Irish with Snowdon Faberge. Kate and her horse are new to this level of competition, but that didn’t stop them when they scored 66.18%.
Next up for the Irish was Heike Holstein, on her own horse, the homebred Sambuca. Heike had a bit of an accident about an hour before her test, when she took a tumble off her bike, but she was determined nothing would hold her back. Heike and Sambuca, pulled it together to produce a very strong test scoring a 69.472%. This was super for this young mare, which is relatively new to this level of competition.
Anna Merveldt was third to go on her mount Esporim. Anna found that Esporim who is also relatively new to this level, was a little overwhelmed by the atmosphere, which left him a little tense, which affected their final score, which was 67.717%.
However last to go for the Irish was Judy Reynolds and Vancouver K. Judy and Vancouver K are the partnership on the Irish Team that has the most experience at this level. Judy knew that she had to give it her best shot, so she and her Super Star horse Vancouver K did just that. Not only did Judy and her horse produce a fantastic test, but they achieved a Grand Prix Personal Best, breaking their own Irish Grand Prix Record, while securing the Olympic Slot for the Irish Dressage Team in the process. Judy and her horse also secured a top ten finish, which saw them qualify individually the Grand Prix Special, which was to take place later in the week.
In the team event the Gold Medal went to Germany, the Silver Medal to the Netherlands and the Bronze Medal to Sweden.
Irish Success in the Grand Prix Special!
In the Grand Prix Special just 2 days later, Judy and Vancouver K, put in another Top Class performance. Judy and her horse achieved a new personal best and a New Irish Record in the Grand Prix Special with a score of 78.252% beating their own record which they set in Aachen this year. Not only that Judy and Vancouver K finished in 5th Place individually.
Judy’s 5th place finish broke another 26 year old record which was the highest placed Irish Rider at a European Championship. This record was previously held by Anna Merveldt when in 1993 she placed 11th in the Grand Prix in the Europeans in Slovenia and then went on to finish 9th in the Grand Prix Special at the same event. Judy’s performance in the Grand Prix Special easily qualified her for the Grand Prix Free Style to Music which took place on the Saturday of the competition.
In the Grand Prix Special Event the Gold Medal went to Germany’s Isabel Werth riding Bella Rose, Silver Medal also to Germany, Dorothee Schneider and Showtime FRH, and the Bronze Medal went to Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour riding Afterupgaards Cassidy.
Judy Reynolds and Vancouver K Dance Their Way Into History!
On the Saturday, Judy and Vancouver K really were on a roll, when they came out and danced their way into the History Books, and into the Irish Hearts once more, with their stunning Freestyle to music performance, Lord of the Dance.
Perhaps Lord and Lady of the dance is more apt, when Judy and her horse absolutely smashed their previous Personal Best to score a massive 85.589% to finish in 5th place overall once again. Judy beat her own Irish record and became the highest placed Irish Rider in Grand Prix Freestyle to Music in a European Championship, which was previously held by Anna Merveldt since 1993.
In the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music Event the Gold Medal went again to Germany’s Isabel Werth, the Silver to Dorothee Schneider and the Bronze also to Germany’s Jessica Von Bredow Werndl.
What a Fairytale end to an Epic Week for Irish Dressage, the Girls in Green are paving the way for Irish Dressage and taking it to new heights! Tokyo 2020, Team Ireland’s Ladies have booked their ticket and are on their way!