CROSSGAR’s Diane Harron Eakin had one of those very special, seldom experienced days at the recent Half Bred Horse Breeders Society’s performance foal show in Mossvale Equestrian Centre. Not only did she breed the successful colt, Ringfort Rubys Cruise, but also both his sire and dam.

Harold, as the chesnut foal is called at Ringfort Stud, is by the Cruising stallion Ringfort Cruise who represented the Army Equitation School and Ireland on Nations’ Cup teams and in international Grand Prix. A half-brother to the Grade A jumper and sire Renkum Englishman, the grey retired from competition in 2010 and now stands at the Drumhowan Stud in Co Monaghan.

The champion is out of the three-star eventing mare Ringfort Rara Ruby (by Porsch) whose 2008 gelding, Ringfort Rubicon (by Iroko), is being successfully campaigned for his breeder by the dam’s former rider, Steven Smith. In fact, while Harold was winning at Mossvale, Ringfort Rubicon landed the open novice at Loughanmore, notching up his fifth success of the season.

The class was judged by European KWPN inspector Ben Wentick of the West Lothian-based Scotland AI Service who commented: “There was a small collection of foals of which the top five had good riding horse conformation; they were good, rectangular models. The top two really stood out and it was much easier to select the winner than when I judged this class two years ago.

“The foal by Ringfort Cruise has wonderful movement,” Wentick continued. “He has a very good walk, an exceptional trot and his canter is really well balanced. He lengthened and shortened with ease and you could hardly hear him in the arena he was so light on his feet.”

In contrast to the format used in traditional showing, the foals forward at Mossvale were shown both in hand and loose in order to display their carriage, movement and athleticism. Their performance potential was assessed by forensic marking and scoring of conformation, gait and athletic ability and this year the scoresheets were made available to exhibitors with whom Wentick was happy to discuss his decisions.

Ringfort Rubys Cruise, who was shown by Samantha Hamilton while the breeder’s granddaughter, Emily Hinds, took charge of his dam, received nines for conformation, limbs and star quality and 9.5 for athleticism. Last Saturday, Harron Eakin confirmed that the chesnut had been sold to a man from the south of the country who had shown a lot of interest in the colt over the past few months. He will remain at Ringfort Stud until weaned.

Nuala O’Hare’s traditionally-bred filly, Ballylough Cadiam, finished second. The bay is out of the Flagmount Diamond mare Bellville Diamond and comes from the first Irish crop of Mr Big Cat. This Brazilian thoroughbred, who was evented up to intermediate level in Britain by Australia’s Clayton Fredericks, also stands at Drumhowan Stud. A powerful, good-looking sort, the 2004 bay was recommended to Eamon and Gladys McArdle by event rider Steven Smith.

The colt Shanaghan Morning Star was placed third. The bay, who is owned by Katesbridge exhibitors William and Esther Skelly, is by the Anglo European-registered stallion Hoeks Ludo (by Elmshorn) out of Tullys Eagle Wings. That Coronea Eagle mare’s 2008 gelding by Cyrano, Shanaghans Rising Star, won a novice event at Kedrah Castle in June when ridden by Fraser Duffy for Dunbyrne Stud.

Lisa Rosbotham’s fourth-placed bay filly by the Dutch Warmblood show jumping stallion Valent (a son of Hors la Roi) is out of the thoroughbred mare Bellaney Jewel (by Roselier) who won a point-to-point, two hurdles races and five chases in the colours of her breeder, Woods Rosbotham.