TO keep the local show running each year has become a major talking point amongst organisers and exhibitors alike.

Westport, which spent its early years in the grounds of Westport House before the revived show moved to its current location at Drummindoo Stud, held its Golden Jubilee event last Sunday.

The show chairman, Paddy Joe Foy, spoke about its 50-year history, mentioning past Grand Prix classes where the late Paul Darragh and Trevor Coyle were amongst the competitors before the move in 1990 to his equestrian centre on the town outskirts.

To mark its 50th milestone, a wreath laying and flag raising ceremony was held, during which Foy recalled late committee members Sean Joyce, Tony Moore, Vincent O’Malley and also the ISA board member John Connolly, from Bantry, who had passed away that Sunday morning.

STRONG CONNEMARA CLASS

Once again it was the Connemara section which proved the strongest and Garryhinch Stud owner Sean Dunne had some well-supported classes to choose from.

His overall champion was Alaoise Halpin Coen’s nine-year-old Kilrock Cashel from the senior mare class, with Michael Sweeney’s junior mare class winner Bunowen Grey Lass, by Dunloughan Troy, in reserve.

“Her name at home is Darcy. She is my absolute pride and joy out of all our ponies,” said her delighted Claregalway owner who bought Sunday’s champion from her breeder Eamon Burke, and the Coolough Cashel mare is now in foal to Tra Ban Ceiliog.

“She’s an ideal type of broodmare, very correct with good limbs and a sloping shoulder, which you need,” Dunne noted.

He also praised his junior champion, Katie Curran’s Glencarrig Princess Katie, by the Moycullen family’s own Glencarrig Knight, while his reserve was also from the two-year-old filly class, in which Feichinn King’s Dancing Timber Star took the blue and then the reserve tricolour rosettes.

“The junior champion had a lot of quality and presence. She’s a very loose moving filly with very good breeding, I asked the breeding of her after I made her champion.”

Dunne also felt that the Connemara pony scene had stabilised after the Celtic Tiger false boom saying: “I find that during what we call the mad times, a lot of people, that never had them before, got into ponies and got out of them as quick, but the traditional Connemara breeder is still there.”

Ballina exhibitors Anthony Gordon and Tiernan Gill did friendly battle in the horse ring where, on this occasion, Gordon’s Elusive Emir three-year-old won the young horse championship. Bought from Ballinrobe breeder Noel Sheridan, for whom the Elusive Emir-Castana cross won the All Ireland traditional foal final at Mountbellew, he will be aimed at the Dublin heavyweight class.

Gill’s 2016 champion here, Greenhall Liqueur had to settle for reserve champion on this occasion and the Barnaby Flight filly is another Dublin entry.

“We’re going to do the three-year-old event qualifiers too as she has a good jump,” said Gill.

The Mayo clean sweep continued in next championship with Gordon’s three-year-old taking that too, ahead of Mary Murphy’s broodmare winner Castlemeadow Mildred, by Power Blade.

Judges Padraig Fitzpatrick and Neil Henry, who confirmed he is standing again in the upcoming Horse Board elections, then selected Eddie Murphy’s homebred mare Holy Grace, one of the last of Holycross’s offspring, as their Irish Draught champion.

Foxford owner Gerry Ferguson stood reserve with his two-year-old filly My Rosie, by the American import Harkaway Lionhawk, who stands with Mary Murphy’s husband, Martin.

A clash with the IPS Clare/Limerick show and upcoming exams affected entries in the show pony section where Lauren Coyne took some time out from her Leaving Certificate studies to show her mother Deirdre’s Bacchus to his second consecutive championship win here.

Valerie Davis’ choice for reserve champion was Grace Maxwell Murphy’s homebred Gleann Rua Maximilian from the ridden Connemara class.