KATIE Byrne, who last competed at the RDS in starter stakes, won the first tri-colour sash at the 2017 Dublin Horse Show which was presented at the conclusion of the Crescent Electrical Services riding horse championship in Ring 1 on Wednesday morning.

In the ‘large’ class, judges Samantha Boxall and Sara Leatherbarrow had the P.J. Casey-ridden Dawn Chorus at the top of their original line-up with Lesley-Ann Duke lying second on Brookfields Showdown ahead of Bryne and Queens Master.

Much to the delight of her family ringside, including father David who acted as groom, Byrne and her mother Anne’s Kings Master mare were directed to the No 1 spot when the final line-up was decided with Dawn Chorus dropping to second and Leonie O’Gorman being promoted to third with the family’s Nash Me gelding Its After Eight.

The winner was purchased at Goresbridge’s select sale last year by Ned Cash who was acting on instructions from Kieran Ryan. Over the winter, the Byrnes put pressure on their good friend Ryan to sell and he finally did so at the turn of the year. Katie has done a couple of shows and hunter trials on Queens Master and also competed with her in the Burghley young event horse qualifier at Tattersalls.

Queens Masters was bred in Co Kilkenny by former jockey Trevor Horgan and his wife Breda out of the bumper-winning Shernazar mare Golden Fantasy who was placed in point-to-points. Horgan, who was at the show last week as he had two horses entered, said the dam wasn’t that easy to get in foal in recent years which is why she was sent to Kings Master.

Golden Fantasy had six foals registered with Weatherbys including a 2016 Jet Away colt who Paul Cashman purchased at Tattersalls Ireland’s February sale this year. She is now in foal to Crosstown Dancer’s son Scrapman.

The Casey-ridden Dawn Chorus, who was reserve champion riding horse, is a five-year-old thoroughbred gelding by Golan who was bred by Michael Moloney out of the unraced Taipan mare Belle Patina. He was purchased by Casey’s wife Sonya at the 2015 August Sale at Tattersalls but, at Dublin, was down as being owned by Patrice Dorney.

Confusion reigned when horses entered the ring for the opening ‘small’ riding horse class with riders being directed to go left-handed rather than right. When all settled down, Massereene Dorian Gray was top of the first line-up ahead of Michael Lyons’ Kilmastulla Tiger Lily.

While the second-named mare dropped out of contention, Massereene Dorian Grey maintained his position to the end with Janice Reddy finishing second on her own 12-year-old bay gelding Dream On Calypso.

The winner, a 10-year-old grey gelding by the Connemara stallion Crusheen Comet, was bred in Co Tyrone by Elaine Robb out of a thoroughbred mare. He was ridden on Wednesday by Shannon Corbett who was also on his back when he won the championship here in 2013. He is owned by Comber’s Ellie Miskelly.