THE final of the Irish Horse Welfare Trust Thoroughbred Club’s retired racehorse series takes place on Saturday, July 22nd, the first day of the Tattersalls Ireland Show at the sales company’s Co Meath complex.

Next Saturday, July 15th, the only Northern leg of the series is being staged at the annual Castlewellan Agricultural Show in the local Forest Park. To enter the class, horses must be registered with the IHWT Thoroughbred Club but this is a simple matter as it’s free and can be done online.

The Castlewellan schedule features a number of other classes in which ex-racehorses can be entered as does the Tattersalls Show where there is also a Retrained Racehorse Challenge in the working hunter ring on the Saturday morning. The winner will be awarded the George Mernagh memorial perpetual trophy.

For phase 1, horses will be required to jump six rustic fences (2’9”) with two optional bonus fences (3’3”). In phase 2 they will be judged on an individual show (of not more than a minute and a half) and then for conformation. Full details of all the classes scheduled can be found on the show’s website (tattsjulyshow.ie).

The latest leg of the Down Royal racehorse to riding horse league was held during last weekend’s Equifestival in Mullingar where the winner was Prince de Beauchene who was ridden for Bangor’s Chris Gibson by Kelsey Graham.