RESERVE Champion of Clifden 2017 and winner of the visitor sash was a traditional true-to-type 17-year-old mare, Fionn Lady, by Mary Rabbitt’s stallion Monaghanstown Fionn.

Fionn Lady is owned and was exhibited by Dermot Dunne from Portarlington. Bred by Paddy McCormack in Athlone from his immensely successful broodmare Beech Girl (Smokey Duncan - Hillcrest Ann), who has provided him with a foal every season for 18 successful years, she is still going strong with a colt foal at foot.

Dunne said: “I was looking for a mare to keep the breed intact and when Malachy Gorham tipped me off about a mare he spotted in the local riding school, who was finished her career, he suggested I should come and have a look, the rest is history. Winning Reserve Supreme at Clifden is something my family will never forget.”

During the judging of the Championship, the power of social media kicked in. Dermot’s twin nephews Niall and Conor Parker, based in San Francisco working on J1 visas, were gutted to miss Clifden, but were kept up to speed by his daughter Ciara who went onto Facetime on her phone and was able to show the championship live as it happened.

Junior Champion Moyabbey Twilight is a lovely three-year-old with quality and the ‘look at me’ factor. Owned and bred by Tony Walsh from Moycullen, she comes from an old and established bloodline through her sire Glencarrig Patrick (Glencarrig Prince - Festy Lady) and her dam Sylverann (Glenayre Silver Fox - Banner Beauty by Gunsmoke).

Standing Reserve Junior Champion was the three-year-old Caherross Duke (Glencarrig Knight - Moorland Snow Queen), exhibited by Kieran McGrath from Hazelrock Stud and owned by former racehorse trainer Henrietta Knight from Oxfordshire. This stallion was bred by Linda O’Donovan from Rosscarbery, Co Cork.

The four to six-year-old stallion winner was Noel Noonan’s Manor Duke (Currachmore Cashel - Banks Vanilla), produced by Joe Burke. In doing so, Noonan received the Bobby and Bridie Bolger Cup which is one of Clifden’s outstanding trophies.

Robbie Fallon’s Cashelbay Prince added yet another red rosette to his huge collection of accolades by winning the seven and over stallions. Fallon said this will be his last appearance in the show ring. Handled by Michael Harty, Prince has given the breed and the people who produce them many days of pleasure by his presence.

Aisling Sweeney’s Silverhill Lass (Dunloughan Troy-Heather Star) was a worthy winner of a huge class of four and five-year-old mares.

Geoffrey Heanue’s Derrylough April (Castlestrange Fionn-Starlight Butterfly) was a popular choice in her six or seven-year-old age group.

Seamus Keady from Spiddal has a precious jewel in Shanna Rose, winner of the eight and nine-year-old mares. This daughter of the iconic Janus and Gleann Rua Sea Mist will surely be heard of for years to come.

The Keaney family, with the stallion Murvey Rocco, and mares Rita and Grace, delighted spectators who watched the progeny class, and they were popular winners on the day.

The late Joe Gorham would have been proud to see his grand-daughter Maria winning the all-important Young Handlers class with Kingstown Lass.

FOAL CLASSES

The foal classes were well supported, and judged by John Noel Mullen and Kevin Bolger, Roundstone chairman Brian Mullen’s Gurteen Henry (Glencarrig Knight – Gurteen Kate) took the red in the colt section and later Reserve Supreme Champion foal.

In the filly class, the judges failed to decide on their winner between John Joe O’Neill’s Caherlistrane Noreen (Caherlistrane Prince - Silver Gillian) and Patrick Kearns’ Brocklodge Emma (Brocklodge Buster - Loughmor Suzy).

Referee judge Roger Joyce was summoned to ring two and after some reflection Brocklodge Emma got the nod and later brought the Champion foal sash back to the Midlands.

Yearling colts opened the show with a nice win for exhibitor Sean Sweeney and Clochanard Silver Cassius (Dunloughan Troy - Silver Lady 2nd), who stood ahead of the handsome bay Ballafadda Tyson (Lightening Star-Cashelbay Heather), owned by Danny Flynn and Claire Lacy.

Malachy Sweeney’s yearling filly Ballyconneely Rose (Ballafadda Tyson-Bunowen Lady) looked good in her age group.

Michael Harty Jr produced a fluent two-year-old bay colt in Seabreeze Mirah (Westside Mirah-Cashelbay Courtney), a pony with a lot of quality, and he deserved his place at the top of the line.

Harty also collected the William Diamond Cup for the best handler at the show, presented by Talitha Diamond.

Gearoid Curran from Moycullen won a strong two-year-old filly class with Glencarrig Princess Katie (Glencarrig Knight - Glencarrig Princess).