TURF Club veterinary officer Terry Smith was competing in the four-year-old working hunter class at Balmoral Park last Friday and finished fifth on his bay gelding Millburren Diamond.

Terry it seems is taking his return to competitive action very seriously as he was in the company of his own personal trainer, former Down All-Ireland-winning captain Paddy O’Rourke, and his dressage coach, Michael Boyd.

In the five and six year-old class, Tommy Moore from Ballynahinch, a regular point-to-point attendee, missed seeing his daughter Rachel claim first prize as he was off tracking down one of his dogs who had somehow ‘snuck’ a lift to the show. The Moores won with the lovely Mermus R mare Country Strong who had been second the previous day in the five-year-old young event horse class.

FIRST WINNER

Not so fortunate was Caroline Dennison (McCaldin) who failed to progress to the second phase on Friday when having a pole down with her good-looking Vechta gelding Obama. However, she had better luck the following afternoon at Necarne Castle when saddling her first point-to-point winner, The Trigger, who landed the seven and upwards geldings’ maiden in the colours of James Killen.

Among the many visitors to the Balmoral Show last week was former Northern point-to-point rider Kirsten McDonald who was home from Australia on holiday. Due to have her first baby in early August, Kirsten reported that she is still teaching Down Under and that her husband, Chris Cully, continues to work for his family’s construction business.

Chris, who had his best season’s pointing in the 2009-2010 season when he partnered 19 winners, rode some good horses for Northern trainers including the subsequent Grade 1 hurdler and chaser Simonsig, who he partnered to win his maiden on debut at Kirkistown in February 2011 and the champion point-to-point bumper at Fairyhouse just over two months later.

Jane Kennedy, who is always on duty at the declarations desk at Loughanmore and is the voice behind most of the announcements from the weigh-tent, took time out to watch the horses at Balmoral although officially at the show for the Lleyn sheep classes.