THE schedule for Balmoral Show was published this week and, as rumoured, the racehorse to riding horse class has been revived for the four-day event and will take place in the main arena on the afternoon of Thursday, May 11th.

Sponsored by the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association and to be judged by Mary and Laura Redvers, mother and wife of David Redvers (Ledbury Hunt joint-master, Tweenhills Stud proprietor and racing manager to Sheikh Fahad Al Thani), the class will be restricted to 12 entries (inclusive of three invited participants).

It is open to Irish-bred mares or geldings or foreign-breds who have been trained in Ireland for a minimum of one year. If more than 12 entries are received, horses will be selected (exclusive of the invited trio) based on highest official earnings as recorded by The Turf Club. Riders must have attained their 16th birthday by January 1st this year.

Horses will be judged on ride, manners, conformation and training and will be asked to gallop. The judges may ride some of the exhibits and/or may require individual shows from as many as time allows. The show may not exceed two minutes and in addition to walk, trot and canter, should include a simple change at canter, a reinback, gallop, halt and standstill.

breeding and youngstock

The breeding and youngstock sections, which take place in horse arena 2 on the Wednesday and are open to thoroughbreds (as are most other horse classes at the show), will be judged by Peter and Sally Hobbs. Full details regarding the showing programme can be found on the Balmoral Show website. Entries close on Wednesday, March 15th.

Riders of ex-racehorses are reminded that both flat and performances classes are taking place at the Pegus Gala Weekend in the Gransha Equestrian Centre near Bangor on Saturday and Sunday, April 1st and 2nd and that entries for these close on March 18th. Stabling and hook-up bookings must be made by Tuesday week, February 28th.