"Handsome Horse"
Venice Florida, Fox Lea Farm 4/4/04
"Handsome Horse" those were the comments of Judge Betsy Berrey at the Alpha Dressage Show after judging her first Irish Draught Horse in a Prix St. George Dressage test. Berrey gave O'Leary's Irish Diamond a 61.5 percent score which is a qualifying score for the United States Dressage Federation's regional championships. The score earned Irish a third place ribbon. The 16.3 hand stallion returned to dressage competition last fall after a two year lay off from dressage competition. His rider Stephany Fish has worked hard in bringing the stallion back to competition form. Fish felt Irish performed well in the competition noting if he had sat better in one of his canter piorettes

his placing would have been higher. It was decided last fall to send the stallion to the Florida Circuit. It was decided if he couldn't compete against the best horses in the US there couldn't be much said about the ability of Irish Draught horses as dressage horses. "We thought California was tough competition, its nothing compared to Florida," said his owner Jim Leary. "At the California Dressage Championships there were only 20 horses competing at 3rd level. Here they have 30 horses competing at Prix St. George in a regular show. It isn't like we pick a show where the judge is a friend get a good score and never show again." "You get bragging rights when you show consistently against the top horses and do well. O'Learys Irish Diamond has earned the bragging rights as the top Irish Draught Dressage Horse In the World."

The stallion has also received a qualifying score for the regional champtionships at 4th level. Late last year with Fish in the saddle, O'Leary's Irish Diamond earned the United States Dressage Federation's Third Level Performance Certificate. Before that he earned 1st and 2nd level performance certficates. No other Irish Registered horse has earned a USDF performance certificate at any level.

Is jumping a possibiliy yet? Jump rider Rob Gage still maintains that the closest grandson to King of Diamonds has the ability to jump the grand prix. Gage who was once ranked as America's Top Grand Prix Rider and five times in the top five, rode Irish to an open championship and an open modified championship in less than six months of jump training. Gage recently commented that he feels with a year of jump training Irish could do Grand Prix.