EXCLUSIVE - Anne Marie determined to see Irish dressage build on the achievements in Paris

HSI High Performance Director of Dressage, Anne Marie Dunphy firmly believes the performance of Abigail Lyle at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris will serve to inspire other Irish senior and youth riders ahead of the next cycle for Los Angeles 2028.

In what was her debut on the Olympic stage, Lyle, on board Giraldo, turned in a very impressive display at the Palace of Versailles, carding a score of 69.441 to finish sixth in her group.

While it was not enough to secure them further passage to the individual dressage final, the Irish combination delivered an excellent routine that exceeded pre-Games targets and, one that Anne Marie insists will offer a solid platform on which to build over the next four years.

“We were delighted with the performance of Abigail and Giraldo,” Anne Marie told the Laois Nationalist.

“One of the things we do pre-Games is to identify what looks like success for us, what would be a good result for us.

“We weren’t under any illusions about medals. That’s not where we are at this point in time.

“We were confident that she would do 67-68 per cent and, as it happened, she did 69.44, so she exceeded expectations, which was great.

“It was such a positive thing for Irish dressage. We were all just so happy and I have no doubt that what she achieved will go a long way to inspiring our youth riders and our current senior riders as well.

“For an athlete to achieve that at her first Olympics is a massive achievement. It just showed that it is possible for our riders to be able to compete at that level,” she insisted.

For Anne Marie, herself a two-time National Dressage champion, Paris 2024 represented her first Olympic Games also. Only appointed High Performance Director back in May of last year, she has worked tirelessly to ensure that Ireland made the very most of the one individual dressage slot secured for the Paris Olympics.

“We have specific criteria set out as selection policy and we had a number of riders running for the slot, which is always a good thing because it makes it more competitive,” said Anne Marie, who lives in Castlecomer and has many acquaintances throughout Laois from her time as Chief Instructor at Portlaoise Equestrian Centre.

“Everyone pushes that little bit harder when’s it’s a competitive selection process. We also take into account the ability of the combination to be able to handle the pressure of an Olympic Games and everything that goes along with it.

“Abigail was the one who showed the most consistency and readiness for the Games,” she maintained.

Anne Marie, who, in addition to her post as Senior High Performance Director, has also held the role of Youth High Performance Manager for the past 11 years, has proven a vital cog in the development of Irish dressage over the past decade.

And, while she is no stranger to high-level competition herself, her first Olympic Games is one that will live long in the memory.

“With the Olympic Games, there’s just a different buzz about it,” she smiled. “The venue in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles was just stunning. You couldn’t ask for a more beautiful venue and I think that really added to the whole occasion as well.

“When you stood at the top of that arena, the view the whole way down, over the water and down to the palace was just breath-taking.

“The organisation was so good. The stables were absolutely beautiful, all the warm-up arenas as well as the field-of-play were superb and everyone was in great form.” For Anne Marie and the HSI team, it is now all about building on the work done in Paris as they turn their attention to the next Olympic cycle.

The 2025 European Championships will be the next major event on the cards, and while that, in itself, will not offer the prospect of qualification for Los Angeles, it will provide a springboard towards the following year’s World Championships when the hunt for Olympic berths will get underway.

Anne Marie is confident the performance of Lyle this summer has inspired others to emulate her achievement and that of other great Irish riders, the likes of Judy Reynolds, Anna Merveldt and four-time Olympian, Heike Holsten.

And, while she wants to see Ireland again well represented in individual dressage at Los Angeles, the High Performance Director will also be looking to see an Irish dressage team take to the Olympic stage for the first time ever.

Ireland did qualify a team for the Tokyo Olympics, but the decision was made not to field a squad due to the fact that a number of the core athletes and horses were unavailable when it came to selection.

Still, Anne Marie is hopeful Ireland can break new ground and finally see a dressage team step out into Olympic arena in four years’ time.

“We’re heading into the next Olympic cycle towards LA and it’s very much our mission now to qualify a team for the next Olympics,” she stressed.

“I think it is a real possibility for Ireland. We have a good core group of riders capable of achieving qualification and so we will definitely be aiming to qualify a team for Los Angeles.

“We’re also looking forward to the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane after LA.

“It’s really important that you keep an eye on the long-term goal as well. Olympic cycles come and go very quickly and you’ve got to keep looking ahead all the time and seeing what horses and athletes we have available for the next four and eight years.

“We are still developing of course, and we are still a very small dressage nation, but the sport is growing all the time and it’s very exciting to be a part of that,” she added.