THERE was a second popular success in Ring 2 at the Dublin Horse Show last Wednesday week when the ever smiling Hannah Gordon landed the six-year-old and upwards performance Irish Draught championship with Liam Lynskey’s DS Ballagh Bouncer (310 points), having finished third on the grey last August and fourth in 2023.

Bred in Co Roscommon by Brendan Duffy out of Mount Diamond Princess (by Mount Diamond Flag), the 13-year-old Moyough Bouncer stallion has 10 relatively small crops of foals on the ground, a few of whom were at Dublin. He also has 146 Showjumping Ireland points and 184 Dressage Ireland points to his credit and has competed under Eventing Ireland rules.

Disappointingly, DS Ballagh Bouncer had a pole down on Wednesday and, in fact, the only clear round in the 11-runner class was recorded by the reserve champion, the Noreen O’Connor-owned, Edwina O’Connor-ridden Ashwood Reggie (302), an 11-year-old bay gelding by Keamore Diamond Clover who qualified at this year’s new venue of Orchard Lodge.

O’Connor, the rider, needed this clear so not to be upstaged by her daughter Ciara O’Connor, who won the Junior/Young Riders event horse class on the family-owned and bred Ashwood Rio, and her niece Jessica Murphy who partnered the reserve champion working hunter pony, Highview Royal Meelin.

Also from Co Wexford, Kate Walsh finished third on the second stallion in the class, Katie Stafford’s nine-year-old son of Crosstown Pride, Dennistown Prince Of Pride (276), while Charlotte Harding was fourth on last year’s runner-up, Kontiki (266), Penny Murphy’s 11-year-old Killinick Bouncer gelding with whom she re-appeared on Saturday to win the 158cms/Intermediate working hunter pony class, going on to claim that title.