WILLIAM McMahon’s winner of the Dublin Horse Show four-year-old heavyweight class, Tulcan Hero, has been sold to The Netherlands and his lucky new owner was able to watch him win in Ring 2 on Friday morning.

“We have sold a lot of horses to Holland and we have some great relationships there, in particular with agent Max Schep who was following Hero for a while,” McMahon explained. “He wanted a special horse for a special client, John van den Veen, and he bought him after he won at Balmoral. He was here to see him perform at Dublin which was very special and Hero is going to an amazing home so we are very happy.

“There was a bit of pressure on us today I suppose because he was Balmoral champion and there is plenty for four-year-olds to look at in there but it all went to plan. We bought him as a foal, broke him last year and he has just been so easy to do everything with, we are very proud.”

Nigel going overseas

Another Dublin winner who will be heading overseas having been sold is Diarmuid Ryan’s winning ride in the four and five-year-old Performance Draught class, Two Mile Nigel. The five-year-old, who was also Irish Draught performance and working hunter champion at Balmoral in May, is by King Vinny (ID) x Penmerryls Rhythm And Blues (ID). He was bred by Jerry McMahon and was owned by Dermot Molloy, but will soon be heading over to The Netherlands to Brigitte Vonk who was also ringside to see him win on Wednesday. “I’ve been second twice before but haven’t won this class until Nigel today, so third time lucky,” said Molloy.

Diarmuid Ryan recorded another win at Dublin that same afternoon, when he partnered Naomi Murphy’s Pem Boy (Clifden Silver x Rathcoona Cove) to take the Berney Bros eight to 15-year-old Connemara performance class.