WHATEVER about booking a tack-room at the RDS, the Halliday Jackson Equestrian Team might need their own barn as, last Saturday at Rincoola, Emma Jackson qualified two more rides for the Dublin Horse Show.

Jackson first landed Section A of the five to seven-year-old Connemara qualifier on Laura McWeeney’s much-beribboned Roo Bella. Although three marks off the lead after the flat phase on 58 points, the six-year-old grey Coolin Diamond mare jumped clear to qualify in first place on 218.

Roo Bella, who was bred in Gort by Karen Naughton out of a Robe Earl mare, will be making a return visit to the RDS where she finished second of 19 in her flat class last August.

Also returning to Dublin, having qualified in second place on 215 points, is another Co Down-produced grey in the Emily McGowan-owned and ridden Benny Liath. The seven-year-old Earl Of Newbridge gelding had previously finished second in his Mountain and Moorland working hunter class at the Royal Highland Show, a position he also filled at the RDS in August in an open working hunter class.

Clear rounds proved all-important as fences down saw Rockislands Dara Og (Emily McQuade) and Lusmagh Derby (Yvonne Gavin) fail to qualify although sharing the lead after the Denise Norton-judged flatwork phase on 61 points.

Section B went to the Kirstin MacDonagh-owned and ridden Carracanada River, another who qualified for the championships 12 months ago. The seven-year-old Templebready Fear Bui bay also took part in the Connemara stallion parade last August and finished second in his flat class.

FLATWORK LEADER

Qualifying on 225 points on Saturday having topped the flatwork phase on 69, Carracanada River was bred in Co Mayo by James Byrne out of the Ross Lobeen mare Doorty Lucky Lady.

Just a point adrift to qualify in second place came Hazel Valentine’s six-year-old Oisin gelding Clooneybreen Poitín with Diarmuid Ryan just failing to secure another Dublin ticket on Lucinda Kelly’s Glencarrig Thunder, who also completed on 224 points.

A fence down didn’t prevent Blessington Pride winning the older pony qualifier as he was awarded a massive 73 points for his flatwork under Edel Whyte whose father Gerry owns the 13-year-old Thunderball gelding.

Blessington Pride, who completed on 229 points, is out of the Loughlum Sadat mare Sheila’s Pride and was bred in Co Mayo by Gerry Kelly. Edel’s cousin Thomas won the older championship at Dublin last year with Ardagh Bobby but, under the new rules of the competition, they were ineligible to qualify this year as a combination.

Also heading to the RDS are Liam Lynskey’s Silver Shadow stallion Black Shadow (Hannah Gordon, 221 points), Therese Anderson’s eight-year-old Kilmore Diamond gelding Kilmore Boy (Kate Anderson, 219) and Noreen O’Connor’s Castleside JJ stallion Agharanny Minstrel (Edwina O’Connor, 218).

Jackson’s mixed double came up in the six-year-old and over Irish Draught qualifier which she won on Helen Stewart’s Castana mare Killeen Dancer. The eight-year-old chesnut lost three jumping points for time but had a flat score of 69 from judge Jacki Doherty, topped the leaderboard on 226 points.

Killeen Dancer was bred in Co Longford by James Boyle out of the Glenlara mare Killeen Glen who, after seven foals by Irish Draught stallions, had a filly in 2012 by the Dutch thoroughbred Watermill Swatch.

Janie Cairns qualified in second place on 220 points with Jane and Robert Huey’s seven-year-old Creevagh Grey Rebel mare Tullys Sasha while Diarmuid Ryan claimed the final ticket on Jer Doran’s six-year-old Crosstown Dancer gelding Duffy (220).

William McMahon and Grace Murphy will have been disappointed not to qualify with Gleann Rua Corpus Christi, who was fourth on 217 points, but did secure a ticket in the four and five-year-old class with the Grandpas Diamond gelding Gleann Rua Hitchcock who finished second on 219.

Qualifying in first place with a total of 224 points in the six-runner class was Karl Smyth’s flat phase winner Flagmount View. Ridden by Zohra Smyth, this five-year-old grey gelding by Diamond Design was bred in Co Meath by Noel Glennon out of Lissinard Maud Gonne, by Carrabawn View.

Patricia Molloy qualified in third place on her own Castana mare Castana Clover (215 points).