THE Kildare Branch of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association, under the stewardship of chairperson Trish Young, held a very successful Working Hunter Show last Sunday.

The weather gods were smiling on the Punchestown venue where the event took place in glorious autumn sunshine. In adherence with the Covid-19 government guidelines, exhibitors arrived for their given times and the whole event ran on time and very smoothly. The team of stewards and officials did a great job all day long to ensure the smooth running of the event.

There were eight classes in all, divided into breed type and fence size categories. The day got under way at 9.30am with a class of pure-bred Irish Draughts jumping an 80cm course of lovely rustic fences. The winner of this class was Padraig Quinn from Tipperary with his Heigh Ho Silver gelding Ellistown Morgan.

Then followed the 90cm class which was very well supported with beautifully schooled and turned out competitors. The winner of this class was Katie Stafford from Wexford with her four-year-old Crosstown Pride chesnut stallion Dennistown Prince of Pride.

The 1m class was won by Zoe Duggan on her polished Windgap Blue gelding Major Flagmount.

Peter McLoughlin being presented with the Horse Sport Ireland-sponsored Breeders Prize by Trish Young, chairperson Kildare IDHBA \ Desmond Bell

Championship ribbons

The Irish Draught Championship gave the winners and reserves in each class the opportunity to show their gallop to the judges who choose Padraig Quinn’s mature gelding Ellistown Morgan as their champion and winner of the inaugural Silver Queen Perpetual Cup, very kindly sponsored by Cecilia Delaney. Zoe Duggan’s younger gelding Major Flagmount was Reserve Champion.

A special award was sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland for the breeder of the Champion Irish Draught. While the champion is now based in Tipperary, he was bred in Kildare by well known breeder and exhibitor Peter McLoughlin of Ellistown Stud who happened to be in attendance as a steward on the day.

There were two all-breed classes; Jack Martin and his mare Lottie won the 80cm class while Milla Pennefather won the 90cms on Ballinclea Golden Guy.

In the part-bred and Connemara classes, winners included Padraig Quinn and Fred (Belclare Dancer), Megan Delaney and Mallow Warrior (Coolcronan Wood) and Ruth Sargent and Harry (Clover Skippy). The Championship was awarded to Megan Delany and her TIH Mallow Warrior, who won the O’Connor Perpetual Trophy for Champion Part-Bred, sponsored by Sue and Stephen O’Connor, with Ruth Sargent in reserve.

Megan Delaney receiving the O'Connor Perpetual Trophy for Champion Part Bred from sponsor Sue and Stephen O'Connor and judges Tony Ennis and Denise Norton \ Desmond Bell

The working hunter course was judged by AIRC chairman Tony Ennis and the showing and conformation phase by international judge Denise Norton of Edenmist Stud. Both judges were unanimous in their praise for the quality of horses and the high standard of turnout in the classes throughout the day.

They remarked that the quality of horses being exhibited is going from strength to strength.

They felt their winners were mainly true to type and exactly what you would want as the winners of the Draught classes.