DEREK O’Connor will probably be at Loughanmore next Saturday and shouldn’t have to travel too far to the meeting as he will most likely stay over following his appearance as ride judge for the racehorse to riding horse class at next week’s Balmoral Show.

Waterford trainer John Queally will be assessing conformation for the class which, sponsored by the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, takes place in the main arena at 12.15pm on Friday.

Fifteen horses have been entered including the first three in last year’s line-up Sizing Australia, Un Atout and the Co Down-bred Mossbank who has been entered by Crumlin’s Alistair McDonald. The 19-year-old Kadeed gelding, who is also entered in the show’s side saddle class, will be partnered by Chloe Thompson.

Other local entries include Saintfield exhibitor Malachy Casement’s 10-year-old Golan gelding Goingagainstmywill and the 16-year-old Clerkenwell gelding Royal Clerk who is representing Banbridge trainer Sarah Dawson. Comber’s David Kirkpatrick, who has Irish Sport Horses entered in other sections of the show, will be exhibiting the 18-year-old Jolly Jake gelding Drumboy.

Doagh’s Allison Matthews has entered the 13-year-old Brian Boru gelding Tadhg while Portadown’s Caoimhe McParland will be represented by the sole mare in the class, Lady Multifix. That Westerner seven-year-old was second recently in a novice class at the Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan to Noel Callaghan’s Hugo De Vindecy, one of two entries from Co Louth along with Ruth Cody’s Smokey Bay. The 11-year-old Winged Love gelding Big Vincey has been entered by Newtownards’ Jacqueline Porter.

Southern exhibits include Sophie Marks’s Jim Will Fix It, Niamh O’Connor Barry’s Sure Reef, the 2017 winner of this class, Lorna Murphy’s Boston Bob, and Joanne Quirke’s three-time Dublin winner Forpadydeplasterer who is due to make his Balmoral debut.

The four-day show starts on Wednesday and while most readers of this column will visit Balmoral Park to see the horse and pony classes, other parts of the showgrounds are well worth a visit. It won’t cost you extra to look at all the cattle, sheep, pigs etc but, if it’s retail therapy you’re after, then there are stands all around the grounds to satisfy your needs. The Northern Ireland Food Pavilion should not be missed even if you are attending the show for just one day.

This year sees the return of a best dressed competition but don’t expect to see too many tottering around on very high heels next Saturday, May 18th, as the code is ‘chic country attire’ and Cool FM’s Rebecca McKinney will be on the lookout for the most appropriately dressed lady and gent. To be in with a chance of winning, you need to register at the Downtown Show Stage between 11am and 1pm.