THE inaugural Glandoran Island Hunt Pre Summer Show took place on Easter Sunday, by kind permission of the Chapman family.

Ring 1, the Connolly’s Red Mills Ridden Hunter Ring started at 10am with the four-year-old class which featured last year’s champion three-year-old filly at the Dublin Horse Show, Ballykelly Eva making her ridden showing debut. It proved a winning one for her owner Margaret Jeffares when the red ribbon went to Ballykelly Eva, ridden by PJ Casey, with Jennifer Kennedy in second place with her own Assagart Fairytale while third went to Alicia Devlin Byrne and her own Gortown Dancer.

In beautiful weather, Nicola Perrin and Major Malone won the lightweight division for owner John Stafford. Daphne Tierney’s Bloomfield Aristocratic and Jane Bradbury claimed the middle/heavyweight class. Nicola followed up her win in the lightweights with a win aboard Ballarin Cu Chulainn in the open cob class for owner Roisin Durry.

Jennifer Kennedy riding her own Assagart Angel went one better in the small hunter class taking the red ribbon with Claire Connors and Von Mooch in second for owner Henry Carey. There was great interest in the Irish Draught Class where owner/rider Aoife Horan triumphed with Holy Wells Bella.

Carrigower Mourinho took the coloured horse title for owner Nora McGee and rider Rosemary Connors. The ridden horse title went to Ard Mount Rio for owner/rider Fionnuala Lennon. The amateur class was won by Rebecca Meredith with her own Dunmore East Pluto.

Judges Willie Corrigan and Ian Donoghue had a tough task in picking their champion which, after much deliberation, went to Major Malone (Nicola Perrin) with Bloomfield Aristocratic (Jane Bradbury) taking reserve.

There was plenty of action elsewhere around the showgrounds. The pony ring championship went to Jordan Murphy and Lucifer with his older sister Jessica Murphy and Carnawee Filgree in reserve.

The derby ring was in full swing all day with classes from 70cm to 1m. In between classes in ring 1, Nicola Perrin made the most of the Derby ring, popping around on her lightweight winner Major Malone to also win the 80cm class. Local riders took the top spots in a few of the derby classes, Casey Cushe and Miss Comet won the 70cm class with Emma Poole in second and Conor Fanning in third.

James Winterbottom won the 1m class with Christine Keymer in second and Jessica Murphy in third. Helen Keatley finished in first and third in the 90cm class.