THREE dates between the end of May and the end of June decide the small number of horses that will earn a place to compete in the young horse show jumping classes at the Dublin Horse Show 2025.
For the majority of yards in the country, representation at the Show is a vital part of showcasing their youngsters and riders on an international stage.
Many horses are bought and sold at the event and, for many Irish riders, it is the highlight of their year.
So who made the cut, and how will they fare? Lets take a look back at the qualifiers and explain how each competition works.
SEVEN/EIGHT-YEAR-OLDS
The first round competition for this division at the Dublin Show takes place on Wednesday in Simmonscourt. The second round moves to the main ring on Friday, with the final there on Sunday.
The 27 qualified (nine at each venue) will be joined by the youngsters nominated by international riders at the show, and will have to qualify once more on the Wednesday and Friday of the show, where the top half of the combinations will earn a place in the final on Sunday.
The first of the three qualifiers took place in the Meadows on May 20th. Some 95 combinations lined out to take on Tom Holden’s 1.40m track and just 15 of the 95 managed to produce a first round clear to progress to the jump-off. A further 27 had just one fence down for four faults.
Those 15 then had to battle it out against the clock. In the end, it was Karlswood rider Karoline Kjaer and Ronnoco Jump’s seven-year-old Jump The Gun (I’m Special De Muze x Master Imp) bred by Ann Connors, that took first place. In the 2024 six-year-old final, Jump The Gun finished in third place under Nicholas Connors.
GBBS Ltd’s BP Lion Man, a gelding by Kannan, who shares a dam, MHS Pembrook Lady, with Cian O’Connor’s Kilkenny, was bred by Kilmashogue Stud and was guided into the runner-up spot by Harry Wood.
At the second qualifier in Barnadown, the division had an early start when 93 combinations lined out for the 7.30am start. Just 23 riders produced a first round clear over the 1.45m track to earn a place in the jump-off.
Ballypatrick’s Niamh McEvoy and Greg Broderick’s seven-year-old Daliradas Boy, a gelding by Cornets Prinz x Diarado who was bred by Newberry E Wilson came out on top.
The duo finished in fourth place last year in the six-year-old Cruising championship.
Mikey Pender and the Bravo Hughes-owned seven-year-old GCS Othello (Siec Livello x Vigo D’Arsouilles), bred by Eoin Brennan, secured the runner-up spot.
A total of 83 combinations started at the final qualifier in Mullingar. Some 28 of those produced a clear first round to earn a place in the jump-off.
Ten managed a second round fault-free, while a further 10 just a single fence down. The fastest of these was Max Foley riding the Bravo Hughes Ltd-owned and bred seven-year-old gelding HHS Arezzo. By Luidam, he is out of HHS Chantilly Lace, by Cavalier Royale.
Ballypatrick’s Niamh McEvoy took the runner-up riding Andrew Thompson’s Belgian-bred Cold Play S Z (Casallo Z x Chin Chin).
SIX-YEAR-OLDS
Jason Foley and Jm Forever Red won the six-year-old RDS qualifier at Mullingar \ Claire Nolan jumpinaction.net
The 36 six-year-olds which fought hard and qualified for the Dublin Show will be put to the test from the off with the first of their classes taking place in the main arena on Wednesday.
They then move to Simonscourt for their second class on Thursday. The top eight from each of the classes on Wednesday and Thursday go forward to the final on Sunday in the main arena.
Looking back at the qualifiers, with just 12 places on offer at each, it was Castlefield Breeding Farm and Jimmy Lawler’s home-bred gelding JM Forever Red who was guided to the win at the first qualifier in The Meadows by Jason Foley.
Foley has a good record in the event having ridden Ballinaguilkey Special Star to second place in the final behind Niamh McEvoy in 2024. This year, Jason’s younger brother Max will ride his 2025 six-year-old Balmoral champion, the Bravo/Hughes-owned and bred HHS Lexington.
McEvoy and Gary and Leslie Hazlewood Triple T Farms’ mare Lucky Clover (My Lord Carthago x Captain Clover), bred by Gbbs Int Ltd, took the runner-up spot.
Sumas Lumen, owned and bred by Suma Stud, dominated in Barnadown taking the win after two rounds of 1.30m jumping, seeing off a challenging field of 96 starters. By Ard VDL Douglas, out of Cill Mhuire Imp, by Master Imp, she was guided to the win by Gemma Phelan.
Emma O’Dwyer’s Ardragh Celtic Breeze (Celtic Hero BZ x Ardragh Gi Jane), bred by Oliver Ward and ridden by the owner, took the runner-up spot.
At the final qualifier in Mullingar, young rider Eoin Brennan and his family’s home-bred mare GCS Angelina came out on top. By Aganix Du Seigneur, she is out of Gcs Athina by Vigo D’Arsouilles. Hans Jurgen Kuehnle’s home-bred mare Tullibards Pandora (Tullibards Benny’s Legacy x Grandeur) was guided into the runner-up spot by Cathal Daniels.
FIVE-YEAR-OLDS
The first round for the five-year-olds takes place in the Main Arena on Thursday before moving to Simmonscourt on Friday. The top-eight from each of the first two days then go forward to the final in the main ring on Sunday.
With just 36 ‘golden tickets’ on offer over the three qualifiers, competition was tight. A massive 109 horses lined-out at the first qualifier in The Meadows for the dozen places on offer.
Thirteen combinations produced a triple clear, with Cathal McMunn and Jonathan Reape’s BP Rioja (Numero Uno x Plot Blue), bred by GBBS Int Ltd and ridden by Senan Reape, taking the win. Another bred in Ballypatrick, the stallion BP Chocster (Chacco Blue x Diamant de Semilly) was guided into second place by Niamh McEvoy.
At the second qualifier in Barnadown, the Hughes Bravo stable was well represented when three of their horses earned a top-five finish in a very competitive class. A large startlist of 106 starters lined out for the 1.20m three-round class. Sixty of the original startlist managed to produce a first round clear to progress to the first jump-off. Of the 60, just 29 kept a clean sheet to go forward to the third round decider against the clock.
HHS Evora, a mare by Stakkato Gold, out of Shannondale Naomi, by Darco, owned and bred by Hughes earned the top-spot when she was guided across the finish line by Maria Vozone for the win.
Maria Vozone and HHS Evora, winners of the five-year-old RDS horse qualifer at Barnadown \ Claire Nolan Jumpinaction.net
Camilla Speirs rode BT Stables’ gelding Ogue Bt Grandato (Grandorado TN x Aldato), bred by Anne Murphy into the runner-up spot, while Max Foley and Hughes’ home-bred, the 2025 Balmoral Champion HHS Colorado (El Barone 111 x Cavalier Royal), took third place.
The 2025 European junior gold and silver medallist Tabitha Kyle rode her father Mark’s Belgian-bred mare Ottani Z (Otterongo Alpha Z x Lord Z) to win the final five-year-old qualifier in Mullingar at the end of June.
With a dozen places on offer the 96 starters had an early start with three rounds, the last one timed, to get through. Thirty-six combinations managed to stay fault-free in round one, 18 of these left all the poles in pace through the second round to progress to the times decider. Just seven of the 18 lodged a clear third round and were guaranteed a ticket to Ballsbridge, so for another five, the time decided who got the tickets.
By the end of the class, first place went to Kyle, runner-up was Shane Dalton riding Ennisnag Stud’s Belgian-bred stallion Unicum. Dalton also managed to claim third place aboard John Byrne’s home-bred Tangelos Touch (Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve x Captain Clover).
FOUR-YEAR-OLDS
As usual all three rounds of the four-year-olds will take place in Simmonscourt. The top six horses, based on points awarded at the first two classes, will be ridden by international riders on Saturday at 5pm to decide the championship.
Each of the three four-year-old qualifiers offered eight places in Dublin for a total of 24 going forward. Restricted to animals registered as being bred on the island of Ireland, and to stallions and mares bred outside of Ireland, who were registered and approved/preliminary approved or selected for breeding in an Irish studbook.
At the first qualifier in The Meadows, 90 youngsters lined out to be judged by Bo Eitenmuller from the Hanoverian Society and German judge Roland Metz. Rich and Royal, a Dutch-bred stallion by Mumbai Van De Meerhoeve x Crunch, bred by Roelof Bril, scored the highest mark of the day of 82.25, to capture the top spot and his ticket to Ballsbridge.
Ridden by Niamh McEvoy for owners GBBS Int Ltd, the stallion’s score was three and a half points ahead of his closest rival and would have to earmark him as a contender at the finals in August.
Corranvale Lady Jorado, owned by Trilbie Cook and ridden by Kelly Taggert, claimed the runner-up spot earning a score of 78.75. By Jorado, she is out of Corranvale Ginger Spice by OBOS Quality.
The powerhouse duo of Greg Broderick and Lisa Cawley presented Cawley’s home-bred BP Nebraska (Conthargos x For Pleasure) with Tabitha Kyle in the saddle and scored 78.25 for third place.
Some 118 combinations turned out to try for the eight places on offer in Mullingar. Judges Thomas Schonig from the Hanoverian Society, and Roland Metz from the Oldenburg Society had the difficult job of narrowing it down.
After many hours of jumping it was Harold Megahey’s Clover Kcx, a German-bred stallion by Cornet Obolensky out of Halina Va by Kannan ridden by his owner who reigned supreme when he was awarded a score of 80.25.
Junior rider Christian Kennedy rode his family’s stallion KBS Night Walker (Obos Quality 004 x Kec Maximum Joe) bred by Global Event Horses Ltd into the runner-up spot with 78.25 points.
Ballypatrick were well represented when Harry Wood guided their home-bred mare Bp Royal Highness (Aganix Du Seigneur x Casper) into third with a score of 77.5.
The same duo of judges decided on the combinations going forward from the final qualifier in Barnadown where 116 horses lined out for the one metre, two round class.
Norway’s Havard Dragset once again proved what a valuable addition he is to Boleybawn Farm when guiding Boleybawn Santos, a gelding by Super Gold Van De Fruitkorf Z, out of Boleybawn Belina, by Plot Blue, who was bred by Joan Rothwell to first place on a score of 80 points.
Runner-up was Niamh Mcevoy aboard GBBS’s Belgian bred stallion Abba Van De Vrombautshoeve Z (Asca Z x Calato Z) with 77.75 points. Ballypatrick also claimed third place when Conor Mc Mahon and the home-bred Bp Ivycoast (Rock ‘N’ Roll Ter Putte x Vdl Arkansas) scored 77.25.
A quick review of the scores over all three qualifiers shows the highest of 82.25 was awarded to Niamh McEvoy and Ballypatrick’s Rich and Royal. Harold Megahey’s Clover Kcx, ridden by his owner, scored the second highest mark of 80.25, making the two stallions favourites heading for the Mo Chroí National Championships in Dublin this year.