MORE than 350 former racehorses were entered for the six-day The Jockey Club RoR national championships, which concluded on Sunday at the Aintree International Equestrian Centre.

As covered in the Irish Horse World section of this paper last Saturday, two French-bred geldings previously trained by Willie Mullins travelled over from Ireland for the dressage section of the show.

The Claire Farrell-ridden Renneti won both the Elementary Open and the Medium Restricted championships on the Thursday, while the Louise Duffy-partnered Arvika Ligeonniere was a close-up fifth in Wednesday’s Novice Open championship.

Both horses took part in Wednesday evening’s Always A Star parade, which was confined to horses competing at the championship who had won at least £100,000 in prize money during their racing careers.

The list of winners carrying an IRE suffix over the six days was headed by The Jockey Club RoR Horse of the Year for 2025, the Patrick Kinsella-bred 17-year-old Darsi gelding Master Wickham, who won a Freestyle to music dressage class on the Tuesday and, two days later, the Veteran Elementary championship plus the 1m show jumping league title.

Another dual winner of note was the Alistair Pim-bred Cracking Find who, on the Friday, landed a qualifier for the 2027 Tattersalls RoR Open in-hand showing championship.

Ridden veteran series champion

The following evening, the 15-year-old Robin Des Pres gelding was crowned the Tattersalls RoR ridden veteran series champion for 2026.

Also topping the final line-up in one of the Tattersalls RoR series 2026 championships on the Saturday was the Deirdre Connolly-bred 10-year-old Americain gelding American Gerry, who did so in the novice show horse final. Bred by the Mount Coote Partnership, the 16-year-old Bahamian Bounty gelding Barracuda Boy won the open in-hand veteran series final and was reserve in the in-hand supreme championship. The bay followed up his Saturday evening appearances by landing the ridden longevity class on Sunday morning.

Among other Irish-breds to strike twice at the show were the 13-year-old Stowaway gelding Jamessaintpatrick, who topped the leaderboard in two Novice dressage classes; the 12-year-old Vinnie Roe gelding Vinnie Dev, who did likewise at Intro level; and the five-year-old Ten Sovereigns gelding Krugerrand, who won a Preliminary dressage class on the Wednesday and a 90cm arena eventing class on the Friday.

Mares winner

Mares are always vastly outnumbered at this fixture, but one who scored twice was the nine-year-old Kalanisi bay Miss Kharizma, who won a Preliminary Freestyle to music class on the Wednesday and an 80cm show jumping class the following day.

Another Irish-bred to strike on the Thursday, in a Preliminary dressage class, was the 22-year-old Humbel gelding Black Hawk Down, who doubled up the following afternoon by winning the RoR 95cm Arena Eventing League championship.

The 10-year-old Morpheus gelding Top Line Tommy recorded both of his wins on the Saturday, firstly in the morning’s in-hand longevity class and then in the Gemma Potts Foundation Glamour Stakes during the evening performance.

Dublin judge

Among those judging at the championships was north Co Dubin’s Kevin McGuinness, a cousin of trainer Ado McGuinness.

He has had a busy few weeks, as he was one of three Irish judges at the Sport Horse Breeding GB National Hunter Supreme Championship Show at Addington (August 12th and 13th), he then judged at Aintree and, on Wednesday morning of this week, landed in Australia where he is judging at the New England and North West Show Horse Association’s All States Spectacular in Tamworth, roughly midway between Sydney and Brisbane.