RONAN Rothwell’s dream as a breeder came true in the Simmonscourt arena at the Dublin Horse Show last Saturday when his home-bred mare Boleybawn Bella was announced the Mo Chroi four-year-old champion for 2019 under Wicklow rider Michaeli Byrne.

There were tears in the Wicklow breeder’s eyes as his Capri van Overis Z mare received her winning sash. Owned jointly with Ger O’Neill, Rothwell purchased the mare’s dam, HHS Anna (by Andiamo Z), from Brendan Doyle and Tommy Kennedy when she was in foal with Bella.

While Rothwell has already owned a Dublin young horse champion (BP First Editions in 2017), this was his first win as a breeder. It was a landmark week for Ronan and his wife Suzanne, who had four home-breds qualified for the class and they went on to share the leading show jumper prize with Victor Bennett.

“I am so delighted for all my team and family that support my business. In the last year, our business has been rapidly expanding and I depend so much on Team Boleybawn,” he said afterwards.

He credited rider Michaeli Byrne with the production of the winner. “She is so dedicated to our horses and has done an unbelievable job producing Boleybawn Bella. Since she started to ride her the raw talent she has really developed.”

Byrne has since announced that she is leaving Boleybawn to join the Army Equitation School.

“Although I am the official breeder, I would like to make it known that I bought the dam of Boleybawn Bella pregnant with her from Brendan Doyle and Tommy Kennedy, so they deserve the credit for organising the mating. Bella has unbelievable raw talent and was probably the greenest horse in the class. She has a lot of blood, a winning mentality and she is super careful,” Rothwell added.

O’Neill purchased his half earlier in the year. “Ronan sent me a video of her and I jumped in the car and went down to his place and bought half of her. I’m not sorry I did now. The mare will get a break now but all our horses are for sale so if anyone is looking to own the four-year-old champion in Dublin, no problem,” he said following the class.

Byrne and Boleybawn Bella finished second and fourth in the two qualifying rounds on their way to the final on Saturday afternoon, which was judged by British international show jumper Scott Brash, who was part of the winning Aga Khan team on Friday, and Dutch show jumper Willem Greve.

A lovely clear in the first round saw Byrne score 78.75 to lie in provisional second place before American-based Irishman Cormac Hanley and five-star eventer and show jumper Esib Power were on hand to ride the six finalists’ second time out.

Power showed the champion to the best of her ability with another clear to receive a combined score of 155.8, winning by 6.6 marks.

Jason Higgins was double-handed in the final and he guided his own and Meabh Bolger’s gelding Heritage MBF to second place. By Eldorado van de Zeshoek, the gelding was bred in Tipperary by Anne Marie Gorman. Clear in both rounds, and also ridden by Power second time out, they finished on a score of 149.2.

Thomas O’Brien was just 2.4 marks adrift with his father’s Tomas’ Colui. By Luidam and out of Orame, the home-bred gelding is a half-brother to the 2011 winner, Codarco. O’Brien picked up four faults but a clear in the second round under Power saw them complete in third place on 146.8.

Brian Duff was also aboard a home-bred and home-produced horse and finished fourth with BEC Infrared (Diamant de Semilly x Luidam). Winner of Wednesday’s first qualifier and runner-up on Friday, they were out of luck when picking up eight faults in the final, and another fence down with Cormac Hanley saw them complete on a score of 141.8.

Mayo’s Shane Goggins was aiming to defend his title with Denis Gallagher’s CBI Karhari (Goodluck VDL x Kroongraf), bred by Aidan Carroll, but had to settle for fifth place on a score of 137.5, while Higgins slotted into sixth with his second mount, Castlefield Confellow.

Bred by Martin Doyle and owned by Ger O’Neill, the Cornet Obolensky gelding won Friday’s qualifier and was in the lead after the first round (79.5), but two fences fell in the second round to see them finish on 135.5.