WICKLOW owner, and breeder, Daphne Tierney, who was interviewed by Róisín Sheridan for The Owner column earlier this month, had a very successful day at Gorey Agricultural Show last Saturday with her Jane Bradbury-produced ridden hunters.

The pair combined to win the supreme championship with the five-year-old Watermill Swatch gelding, Bloomfield Eloquence, whose companion Bloomfield Manuscript was the show’s champion four-year-old.

The latter, a home-bred Financial Reward gelding, was partnered in the supreme by event rider Leila Barker, while Bradbury stayed with Bloomfield Eloquence.

The Connolly’s Red Mills Champion of Champions series is being run by the Co Kilkenny firm in partnership with Showing Ireland whose Co Wicklow chairman, Angus McDonnell, rode his own 10-year-old Ricardo Z gelding Statesman to be reserve champion on Saturday.

Like McDonnell, Bradbury is a founding member of Showing Ireland which, with this sponsored series, hopes to promote the Irish show horse, safeguard showing classes and support agricultural shows across the country. The series returns to Co Cork next Sunday for another qualifying opportunity at Charleville Show.

Qualified at Gorey Show on Saturday, June 15th

Champion of show – Daphne Tierney’s Bloomfield Eloquence (Jane Bradbury), five-year-old lightweight grey gelding by Watermill Swatch out of Gurraun Broadway, by Carrabawn View; bred by Michael J. Kavanagh, Wexford.

Reserve champion of show – Angus McDonnell’s Statesman (Owner), 10-year-old middleweight bay gelding by Ricardo Z out of Cavalier Countess, by Cavalier Royale; bred by Noel Walsh, Carlow.

Best four-year-old – Daphne Tierney’s Bloomfield Manuscript (Jane Bradbury), lightweight bay gelding by Financial Reward out of Bloomfield Lucy Locket, by Olympic Lux; bred by owner, Wicklow.