Showing

Dublin and UK champions came to the fore at the 10th renewal of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association (IDHBA) National Show, which was held at Punchestown.

Entries were up by 24% this year, with the biggest increase seen in the foal classes. With the help of great sponsors like FBD, Horse Sport Ireland, Irish Horse Gateway and The Farmers Journal, the IDHBA was able to include new classes and offer good prize money – which was key in attracting the 245 competitors that came from the four corners of Ireland.

A SIGHT TO BEHOLD

One of the new additions, the Side Saddle Versatility class, attracted 11 purebred Irish Draughts and was a sight to behold. As one lady put it: “Irish Draughts are made for side saddle, they have the size, balance and temperament.”

Judge Amie Garrigan said of the winner, Alicia’s Devlin Byrne’s King Flagmount: “He was one of the nicest horses I ever sat on and moved effortlessly through his paces, an absolute pleasure to sit on and carried the side saddle beautifully.”

The four- and five-year-old ridden class was to be the start of great success for Sean Barker’s Gortfree Lakeside Lad, ridden by Brian Murphy. The five-year-old stallion, a son of Gortfree Hero, wowed judges Mary-Ann Casey and James Armour, with Casey stating: “The winner is the epitome of an Irish Draught to look at, but also felt so light and trainable when ridden.”

Out of a class of 13 older horses, the winner was Grace Murphy’s very handsome six-year-old, Cappa Ranger by Cappa Cassanova.

Gortfree Lakeside Lad was awarded the ridden championship, with King Flagmount and Alicia Devlin Byrne taking reserve.

A TRUE CHAMPION

The afternoon’s centrepiece was the Irish Horse Gateway Performance class, with 20 horses competing, having qualified at different venues throughout the country.

Gortfree Lakeside Lad, this time partnered by Linda Murphy and the ever-consistent partnership of King Flagmount and Alicia Devlin Byrne, were again awarded top honours, this time by judges Michael Cooper (UK) and James Armour. Following Gortfree Lakeside Lad’s Dublin debut in early August, where he won the Irish Draught performance championship. He then went to the UK two weeks later and won the ridden championship at the Irish Draught Society (GB) Breed Show.

Saturday’s win gave the Brian Murphy-produced young sire a hat trick of the most prestigious ridden championships this season.

FANTASTIC FILLIES

Over in the in-hand rings, one of the biggest filly foal classes that can be remembered saw 19 fillies parade in front of judges James O’Donoghue and Julie Cornthwaite (UK).

With 40 foals in total catalogued, this is evidence enough that there is renewed interest in the Irish Draught breed.

Coming out on top was Tom Mooney’s Fintan Himself filly foal, who went on to be foal champion with Dermot O’Brien’s colt by Castlegar Fingrove in reserve.

Youngstock entries were also up on previous years, and it was Martin Egan’s Archie, a two-year-old colt by Moylough Bouncer, out of a Castana dam, bred by Brendan Duffy, who took the youngstock champion title.

MAGIC FOR McLOUGHLIN

The prestigious FBD Mare of the Future title was won by Peter McLoughlin and his home-bred Ellistown Grey Abbey. By Fast Silver, this four-year-old mare is out of Kilbeg Queen, who was herself the supreme show champion for Peter in 2011.

In the broodmare classes, 50 entries gave judges Sharyn Alexander and Caroline Saynor (UK) plenty to contemplate, with the “stock of exceptionally high quality”, according to Alexander.

Maeve Holohan’s Clonkelly Lucky, the Liam Lynskey-produced Dublin champion Strictly Come Bouncing, John Roches’ Assagart Kingstead Fiona (2016 Dublin champion) and Seamus Duffy’s beautiful Kilmovee White Carnation, along with Marie Byrne’s Star Fin Girl, made up the contenders for the champion broodmare title.

In the end, it was the Dublin champion Strictly Come Bouncing by Moylough Bouncer who took the title, with Assagart Kingstead Fiona by Huntingfield Rebel in reserve.

As Liam Lynskey put it: “with current and past Dublin, UK and nationwide champions here, titles won in the best of company make them all the more meaningful. They’re all great, but this is the one show you want to win.”

In a new judging format for the supreme title, judges had each to give an undisclosed score for each of the five horses, which was tallied at the end to give the result.

The supreme champion is Liam Lynskey’s Strictly Come Bouncing and the reserve is Sean Barker’s Gortfree Lakeside Lad. CL