SUCH a large entry was received for last Saturday’s final qualifier for the ridden Connemara classes at next month’s Dublin Horse Show that, rather than split classes making it a very long day for one individual, the organisers arranged for two judges, Nicholas Byrne and George O’Malley, to assess the three classes at Rincoola.

Ponies were divided into odd and even numbers and both sections, simultaneously in the same large arena, were exhibited before one or other of the judges who lined them up as normal. The top six in both were then called back for a ‘championship’ where the top five in the final line-up (plus one identified reserve combination) booked their qualifying slots.

There were 34 starters in the four and five-year-old class where the judges finally came down in favour of the Balmoral winner, the Camilla Snow Coyne-owned and ridden Inbhear Reuben. A four-year-old by Coosheen Stormboy, the grey gelding was bred by Niall and Conor Coyne. He is out of a home-bred mare by Moy Hazy Cove.

The first of the two classes for ponies aged six and upwards, that for riders between the ages of 10 and 17 inclusive, was won by Emily Black riding Donn Boy with whom she also qualified for the same RDS class last August.

The 12-year-old Black Shadow gelding is owned by the rider’s aunt, Toye, Co Down-based Fiona McMillan, who partnered the Thomas Scott-bred dun in the Connemara performance hunter section of the show in 2018 and who also won an EI90 (Amateur) class on him at Finvoy in August 2021. Donn Boy is out of the Clonberne Boy mare Miss Middilli.

Also set to make a return visit to Dublin next month is Ballinasloe’s Holly Crosby with her own and her mother Caroline’s Cuba Gold following their win in the class for riders aged 17 and upwards. Last August, this combination lined out in one of the show hunter pony classes. A seven-year-old dun mare by Carracanada River, Cuba Gold was bred in Co Offaly by John Carroll out of the Moyvoon Star mare Burrish Kate.