Success for Harper at inaugural dressage

EIGHT-year-old Harper Halpin achieved success at the inaugural Dressage Ireland National Youth Championships which took place recently.

Halpin won the mini trail blazer section at the event which was held at the CoilOg Equestrian Centre in Kilmeage, County Kildare.

The criteria for entering the competition was each participant had to get three qualifying scores at registered shows by two different judges between the 1st of January 2024 and 11th of August.

The results from the Saturday and Sunday competition were combined to determine the winners of each competition.

Harper won the competition on the Saturday with a score of 72.78% and then on the Sunday she achieved a score of 72.5%. Elle Jordan, who uses Rathfarnham Equestrian yard alongside Halpin also participated at the competition in the mini trailblazer section and finished third overall out of the thirteen participants.

Next up on the dressage calendar for both are the winter shows which will be coming up soon with Halpin also currently playing football and hurling for her club Thomas Davis.