Kavanagh Appointed Chair of Dressage Ireland, Aims to Draw More Riders to Dressage

Dressage

Ireland

Dressage Ireland announce the appointment of Marguerite Kavanagh as new chair. She is succeeding outgoing chair Gillian Kyle.

Kavanagh was an Irish international rider and now a competitor at regional and national level. She was the chair of Leinster Region Dressage.

"Promote and Grow our Wonderful Sport"

“I am delighted to take up the position of Chairperson in an organisation which I have been involved with for many years," said Kavanagh of her appointment. "2020 is an exciting year for dressage in Ireland as our team prepare for the Tokyo Olympics. I am very much looking forward to working with the Board to develop inclusiveness with the regions and support them in continuing to promote and grow our wonderful sport."

The 2020 Dressage Ireland Board members include Claire Sedgeman, Donie McNamara, Gisela Holstein, Jane Whitaker, Joan Adrain, Marguerite Kavanagh (Chair), Mark Ruddock, Petra Larkin, Richard McCracken (Vice Chair), and Sarah Mellor (Company Secretary).

Encourage Participation at Grassroots Level

Horse Sport Ireland chair Joe Reynolds with former
Dressage Ireland chair Gillian Kyle

Kavanagh told Eurodressage that as a Chairperson of Dressage Ireland she will focus on the promotion and continued growth of dressage within the equestrian community in Ireland.

"I want to encourage participation at grassroots level and continue support of training initiatives to the senior and youth squads," she said.

Dressage is a relatively new discipline in Ireland because 2019 was only the 30th anniversary of the inauguration of Dressage Ireland.

"For a country who’s traditions are steeped in hunting, show jumping, eventing and racing with breeding programmes to support these disciplines, dressage is however growing in popularity," she said. "The international acclaim of Judy Reynolds and her rise to number 15 in the world rankings and the excitement of an Irish Dressage Team qualifying for the Olympics in Tokyo has fueled a new found enthusiasm, resulting in a marked increase in membership.

Stimulating Youth Riders to Take up Dressage

Dressage Ireland is building on this increased interest by providing youth training clinics from basic level riders upwards.

Judy Reynolds at the 2019 European
Dressage Championships

"Despite the lack of a structured dressage breeding programme and school masters who in other countries are often handed down from one child to the next, our youth riders do posses an innate feel for their horses / ponies," said Marguerite. "Their ability to work with homebred animals is admirable and even though dressage is an emerging sport in Ireland it is quite plausible that, even though they are learning themselves, they continue to train their horses and ponies with feel, passion and through hard work. However, these young riders are always quick to point out how much that enjoy the journey."

While Irish youth riders at pony, junior and young rider level are making headlines in eventing and show jumping; in dressage the popularity, development and quality are lagging behind. The rise of Irish stars at Grand Prix level boosts the popularity of the sport in the country.

"Up to 35% of entries at our national shows are now of younger riders," said Kavanagh. "While Dressage Ireland supports all young and adult riders, Horse Sport Ireland also provides structured training for high performance and developing high performance pony junior and young riders."