Anne Marie Dunphy

Anne Marie Dunphy and Junior Rider Rachel Dowley, Carrick on Suir claimed two championships at the Northern Ireland Dressage Festival held at Cavan Equestrian Centre.

Anne Marie won the Small Tour Championship with Urbanus, while Rachel took the Advanced Medium title with Egano S.

Both riders are now qualified for the British Dressage Masters Championships which will be held at Hickstead at the end of July.

Rachel Dowley, who has taken over the ride on Egano S, got her 2010 campaign off to flying start by winning the Advanced Medium class at Marlton Stud last saturday, 30th Jan.

The pair scored 63.24%, giving them the qualifying mark to represent Ireland  Internationally. They went on to score 69.1% in the medium class. placing second. Rachel and Hans are aiming to qualify for this years Junior European Championships which will be held in Kronberg, Germany 20 - 25 July.

The Dowley family had a good day at the Ballindenisk CIC last Sunday, as did Monica Whelan. Riding Wye Valley Fabristeard, Sarah Dowley successfully defended the title her sister Rachel won last year, beating the large British contingent as well as members of this year's European pony team. Lying fourth after dressage on a score of 55.7, courtesy of Britain's Les Smith and Ireland's Van de Vater, she moved to the top of the leaderboard by virtue of one of only two clear cross country rounds inside the time. She then kept her cool in a tense final phase for one down and a completion score of 59.

Monica Whelan, riding her brother Fergus' Afternoon Antics, claimed the 4 and 5 year olds prenovice. Sharing the lead after Saturday's dressage, her clear showjumping left her still sharing equal first place, but Sunday's cool clear cross country saw her overcome the opposition to take home the red

Sarah's sister Rachel claimed victory in the Junior C class, aboard her father Ivan's March Medley. Leading as well after dressage, on a competitive score of 23.5, her double clear ensured she couldn't be caught, making it a Dowley double for the day.

Urbanus and Egano S were in top form at the National Dressage Championships in Cavan last weekend, winning three National titles in convincing style.

Anne Marie and Urbanus scored 67.96% from list 1 judges Alison Mastin Moore (IRL) and Liz Mackie (GBR) to claim the Advanced Championship from Sonia McCormick and Equilibra Mazzetov second, with Lynne McCormick and Transberg Chilli third.

Introducing a new Kur entitled "Viva" with music arranged by Jeff Harvey, Anne Marie and Urbanus impressed overseas judges Linda Whetstone and Sally Lindsey scoring a massive 76.83% to claim the Advanced Medium Freestyle Championship. Lynne Mc Cormick placed 2nd and Barbara Ellison third with Felina.

Anthony Byrne and Egano S, who represented Ireland at the European Young Riders Championships in Ermelo in August, rounded off a very successful year by winning the Prix St Georges Freestyle on a score of 67.37% just ahead of Charlotte Walshe and Four Socks. Anthony and Egano also placed 3rd and 4th in the PSG and Intermediare 1 Championships and were  crowned National U-21 Champions of 2009.

Making their debut at the Nationals Monica Whelan and Act on Impulse made quite an impression when winning three out of four of their qualifying tests with scores of up to 76%, placing 2nd and 5th in the Preliminary and Novice Championships.