JUDGES FROM IRELAND:
Mr. Denis Dullea - Killountain, Bandon, County Cork, Ireland

Mr. Denis Dullea is a member in good standing with the Irish Draught Horse Society’s panel of judges and on Horse Sport Irelands list of approved judges. He is a well known and respected Irish Draught breeder and enthusiast. Mr. Dullea has judged and inspected all over Ireland, England, and the United States including the IDSHNA’s 2008 inspection tour and the Upperville Colt & Horse Show in 2009. He has also conducted numerous educational clinics on a variety of topics to include: the History of the Irish Draught; Irish Draught Type, Conformation and Movement; Irish Draught Breed Inspections; and Showing In-Hand.

Mr. Dullea has participated in research and training on the different judging systems and has an in-depth knowledge of breeding policy, as well as, the conformation and traits of the Irish Draught. Mr. Dullea’s understanding of the effect of conformation on movement and performance has stood him in good stead when competing himself. Mr. Dullea is considered to be a serious competitor in the show ring, having produced horses like Killountain Pearl, Killountain Heather, Killountain Ruby, and Killountain Ginger.

Mr. Michael Keane - Ellesmere House, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, Ireland

Mr. Michael Keane is a member is good standing with the Irish Draught Horse Society’s panel of judges and on Horse Sport Irelands list of approved judges. Mr. Keane has been an inspector for fifteen years, and has judged and inspected throughout Ireland. This will be his first Inspection/ Judging tour in the United States. Although there are seven generations of blacksmiths in his family, the family’s interest in Irish Draughts began with Michael. Mr. Keane began riding ponies at a young age and by the time he was fifteen, he had purchased his first Irish Draught Sport Horse mare. He competed her in show jumping and later retired her to be a broodmare, one of his favorite crosses was to the RID stallion, Diamond Lad.

Mr. Michael Keane has a well establish breeding farm where he stands three Grade 1 thoroughbred stallions and has several purebred Irish Draughts which he looks forward to bringing forward for grading in the future. Mr. Keane’s wife Carol manages the finances and administration of the farm, while, Michael is a full time lawyer, his practice is mainly real estate and family law. All of his children ride and help produce the family’s Connemara ponies.

DRESSAGE JUDGES:
Ms. Lucy Eddins“r”

The IDHSNA is honored to have Lucy Eddins presiding as our Dressage Judge at the 2010 Annual Show. Lucy is an "r" rated judge with the United States Dressage Federation and
is completing her 50th year as a Judge! She has judged all over the United States, including such prestigious venues as Groton House, Southern Pines, Stuart and the Virginia Horse Trials.

Lucy is admired for her generous advice and her "constructive, not critical" comments. She developed her love of Irish Draught horses in the mid 1950's while living in Ireland where she Evented and Fox Hunted extensively. Ms. Eddins worked in Ireland (in the early 1950s) for Col.

Joseph Hume-Dudgeon, who owned and operated the Burton Hall Riding School. While there, Ms. Eddins received her Instructor's Certificate from the British Horse Society. When she returned to the United States in 1955 she taught riding at the Dana Hall Schools in Wellesley, Massachusetts; and brought several horses to Prix St. George Level. Ms. Eddins gave exhibitions in dressage on these horses, since there were no dressage shows in that area at the time. In the mid-sixties a horse that Ms. Eddins trained and
competed was named the Combined Training Horse of the Year. After spending three years in Massachusetts, she ran a Hunting/Eventing barn in Northern Virginia for ten years, and was an active trainer, coach and competitor. Ms. Eddins was also a National Examiner for the U.S. Pony Clubs at the B, H/A and A Levels for 20 years.

HUNTERS:
Mr. Paul Cronin

Mr. Paul Cronin has dedicated a lifetime to educating young people about the American Forward riding System, teaching and coaching generations of students who have successfully competed at recognized horse shows. He served as Head Instructor and Director of Riding at Sweet Briar College for 34 years, where he consistently turned out capable and knowledgeable
horsewomen. Sports Illustrated magazine cited him twice for coaching a record number of winning intercollegiate teams. In addition to his horsemanship, Paul has done graduate work in sports psychology and motor learning at the University of Virginia.

Mr. Cronin began his career in the Boston area, where he competed as a junior in the hunter divisions and later rode for General Richard Mellon at Rolling Rock Farm in western Pennsylvania, as an amateur, and showed and trained young horses in Virginia. For more
than 30 years, Paul was a lifetime student of internationally renowned horseman and educator
Vladimir S. Littauer, and took a semester’s sabbatical to ride at the French National Military School in Saumur. Mr. Cronin rode and developed a large number of young horses that went on to be successful show hunters, including: Wait Awhile, On Target, Bridegroom, and No Apologies.

During his 25 years as a Hunter and Hunter Seat Equitation judge, he served on the original AHSA committee that planned and established clinics for hunter and hunt seat equitation judges. He has received many accolades along the way, including being named Educator of the Year by the Virginia Horse Council in 1997, a USHJA Professional Service Award in 2007, and a USEF Pegasus Award in 2009. His book, Riding and Schooling the Sport Horse, was published in 2004, reprinted in 2005. Currently he is a member of the USHJA’s Trainer Certification Program Committee and he’s preparing a manuscript on the history of the American hunter/ jumper system.

Mr. Cronin resides in Rectortown, Virginia and currently serves as Professor Emeritus for Sweet Briar College, a position he’s held since 2001, while enjoying a successful career as a clinician and a consultant in institutional and commercial equestrian programs. He rides regularly with the Orange County hounds, near The Plains, Virginia. He especially enjoys helping young
professionals and schooling horses in the Forward Riding System.

HUNTER UNDER SADDLE & RIDE JUDGE:
Ms. Susan Yeaman Deal

Susan currently owns and runs Grovespring Farm, LLC, in Culpeper, Virginia, where she trains people and horses for hunting and showing. Prior to starting Grovespring Farm in 2003 she taught riding at Sweet Briar College and St. Andrew’s College, as well as doing freelance riding and teaching. In 2008 Susan was honored with the Riding Instructor Affiliate Award from the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA).

Susan competed as a child and in college, but her most thrilling accomplishment was winning the North American Field Hunter Championships in 2005.

An American National Riding Commission (ANRC) Level 5 Rider and ANRC National Judge, Susan serves on the ANRC Board as well as on the Youth Council for the USHJA. In addition, she is a member of the Rappahannock Hunt Club and United States Equestrian Federation.

Susan especially enjoys hunting with her students and family, husband Kris and three sons, Connor, John and Jim.