ROBBIE Fallon’s home-bred Cashelbay Rocket, winner of the ridden Connemara class at the Horse of the Year Show last October, was crowned the Berney Bros Saddlery ridden Connemara pony champion at the Dublin Horse Show last Thursday.

Again partnered by a delighted Michael Harty, who had the grey turned out to perfection, the 10-year-old first topped the final line-up in the stallion class ahead of the 13-year-old Currachmore Cashel-sired Lucky Rebel who was ridden for Rhode’s Claire Lacy by Pauline Dahill.

Fallon not only bred the 2019 champion at his Cashel Bay Pony Stud outside Athenry but this was also the birthplace of the stallion’s sire, Cashelbay Cruise (by I Love You Melody), and his dam, the Ashfield Bobby Sparrow mare, Cashelbay Misty. Cashelbay Rocket was second in this class last August.

The reserve champion, Ballylee Castle Prince, came from the well-filled six-year-old and over class for younger riders.

The eight-year-old Slackpoint Prince gelding was partnered by Sadhbh O’Connor for her mother/trainer Aoife who purchased the grey when he was a three-year-old. This was a second win at the RDS showgrounds for the now 17-year-old rider whose previous success had come in a lead rein class!

The O’Connors were among those heading to Clifden after Dublin but plans for next year’s showing season are fluid as Sadhbh will be going into fifth year at Newbridge College as the family relocates to Kildare having spent the past few years in Tipperary. Ballylee Castle Prince was bred in Co Galway by Declan O’Flynn out of the Finisglen Joey mare Killoughter Jug.

The equivalent class for riders aged 17 and upwards saw Wednesday’s younger performance hunter championship winners, Emily McGowan and Tullaree Fear Buí, finish second to Christopher Scott’s Carrick Bunnamohaun Mittens. The six-year-old grey mare was ridden by the owner’s sister, and McGowan’s good friend, Philippa Scott.

Carrick Bunnamohaun Mittens is a daughter of Castleside Carrig and was bred on Clare Island by Sean O’Grady. She is out of the Moy Johnny’s Pride mare Beechmount Star and is thus a full-sister to Carrig’s Island Lad on whom Philippa won the Connemara ridden championship at Dublin in 2015.

No doubt well-warned in advance, judges Clare Dew and Jamie Mead knew they were in for a long session when all 30 entries appeared in Ring 2 for the opening four and five-year-old class. All forward cantered as one in the go-around but were split for the gallop, and for judging, after which Lisa Hockley topped the final line-up with her sister Jackie’s Fanad Romeo.

The Ballybaun Robuck gelding, who was bred in Co Donegal by Eamonn Callaghan out of the Ashfield Romeo mare Fanad Gypsy, was bought in May 2018 as a future jumping pony for Lisa’s daughter, Jenny Lindsay. The five-year-old roan has a full-sister jumping in Sweden.