Bargain buys were the theme of the day at Bandon Show where, despite the occasional torrential downpour, the event attracted a large attendance, including the ISA’s new president Pat Corbet. Samantha Dullea has taken on the unenviable task of filling Rosemarie Deasy’s secretarial shoes and the show was officially opened by Irish Cattle Breeding Federation employee Anna Gabriel, who was adopted from the Chernobyl region by parents Robert and Helen.

Billy Twomey, a namesake of the international show jumper, won the overall young horse championship with his daughter Lorna’s Lucky Jack. Bought as a foal at Tallow Fair, the three-year-old is by the Trakehner stallion Grafenstolz, originally produced in his youth by Rolex Grand Slam champion Michael Jung. Standing reserve in the Tiernan Gill and Philip Scott-judged decider was John Tyner’s yearling champion Bullseye (Orestus).

Timmy Wilson’s broodmare and foal classes were well filled for this stage of the show calendar and he selected Mary Margaret Roche’s Irish Draught find Kingstead Fiona as his broodmare champion. Bought by the Foulksmill lady last November, the Huntingfield Rebel nine-year-old is in foal to Lansdown. Standing reserve was Judith and Russell Cowley Cloneyhea Peas (Arthurs Gold), while in the foal championship Patrick O’Sullivan’s Lotto (Lancelot) took this title to add to the filly’s Tralee and Leap wins. Kieran O’Gorman’s Munther’s Rebel (Munther) stood reserve.

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Hat-trick

Completing a hat-trick of West Cork wins was Bantry exhibitor John Dinneen who won the overall pony championship with his three-year-old filly Goldengrove Secret Charm (Brookwater Action Man), who he plans to sell at the end of this season. Standing reserve was Lucy Tuthill Kingston’s Lahaknock Shadow (Shadows Dun), who won the Connemara and hunter pony titles with her daughter Jane.

Strong ridden horse classes were whittled down to seven contenders for the Bandon championship. Tom Casey and Conor Higgins opted for the Waterford combination of the James Lynch-owned and Rosemary Connor-produced lightweight hunter Barnacurra Maximus Meridius as their overall champion.

Fittingly, in the same weekend as the showring lost one of its legends in Leader Star, it was her relative who won the Bandon title. Both were bred by Luke Morley, near Knock, with Sunday’s Golden Lariat champion out of Morley Street, herself a winner of the 2006 All Ireland filly foal final at Moate. Standing reserve was Aidan Ryan’s Araglin (WRS Sunrich) from the heavyweight hunter class.