IT’s difficult to fit all classes into the Dublin Horse Show programme and some have to take place late in the evening when the crowds are dispersing.

Those competing in the Lawler Dust-Free Forage & Animal Bedding sportsman hunter classes continue to occupy such a slot on the Saturday when the Puissance is taking place in the Main Arena and not all horses enjoy the cheers which erupt when an Irish rider clears the wall.

However, it’s almost the same for everyone and coping with the conditions best in the lightweight class, and finding favour with judges Sam Boxall and Sara Leatherbarrow, was the eight-year-old Porsch gelding Manderlay.

He was ridden by his Holycross owner Carolyn Bermingham, who competes with the bay in riding club competitions as a member of Mill Road, and he was bred in Co Offaly by John Bermingham, out of the Olympic Lux mare Ballybryan.

In second was one of the pre-show favourites for the class, which he had won twice previously, was the well-known 14-year-old Olympic Lux gelding Mr Shakespeare who was ridden by Lyndsey O’Brien.

It was a good evening for Mill Road as another member, Orla McKevitt, won the medium/heavyweight class on her eight-year-old Crannagh Hero gelding Kilkarney Hero. This grey, who is out of the Clover Hill mare Clover Ginger Lass, was bred near Thurles by Kevin Bannon.

In his class, Kilkarney Hero stood ahead of the 10-year-old Silvano gelding Good To Go, ridden by Sarah Reid for Hannah Brooks, and he took the champion’s sash ahead of his clubmate Manderlay.