FAMILY links were the theme of the Irish Shows Association (ISA) day of All Ireland finals held at Charleville last Saturday.

With the agricultural show season again suspended, some ISA youngstock and colt foal finals went ahead instead at this direct entries event, part of Horse Sport Ireland’s showing series. Other finals are scheduled to take place at Roscommon next month.

Persistent drizzle didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the exhibitors, with some travelling on from the Irish Pony Society championship show in Co Wexford to compete at Charleville the following day.

Regina Daly’s Say No More, shown by her sister Jenny O’Driscoll, quickly followed up after his hunter and sport horse championship titles at Barnadown on Friday to win the three-year-old final. Normally hosted at Bannow & Rathangan Show, this championship attracted 15 entries for judge Bernie Stack to choose from.

“It was a great class, I brought them in in the order they first trotted up. If you’ve a horse that’s pulled in first otherwise and it’s dropped to fifth, it’s almost as if you’re devaluing the horse. By bringing them in in no particular order, it takes away all that doubt and worry as the exhibitor that you might drop down the line and doesn’t belittle any man’s horse. There were 14 others to pass you out today otherwise!” she said, explaining her judging methods.

There was no passing out Say No More, bred in Hollymount, Co Mayo by Anthony Sheridan who also bred the champion’s sire Chillout, by the famous Trakehner sire Abdullah. The winner’s dam is the Clover Brigade mare Jimmy’s Wish.

Reserve was John Roche’s Assagart Hopes & Desire, a full-brother to his 2017 Laidlaw Cup champion Assagart Lord Lancer that was also the winning foal in The Irish Field Breeders Championship three years previously. Both are out of the Big Sink Hope mare My Only Hope, herself a former All Ireland two-year-old filly champion with previous owner Dermot O’Sullivan.

Third in this largest field of the day with 15 entries was National Hunt jockey-turned-showman Trevor Horgan with his traditionally bred gelding. By the Irish Draught stallion Scrapman, exported to Mexico, the unnamed bay is out of a thoroughbred dam by the Busted sire Shernazar.

Jimmy Canavan judged the colt foal final, normally hosted by Clarecastle, and found his champion in Declan Daly’s Winston. As is often the lot of sires, this was a posthumous victory for the O’Donovan family’s Darsi as the 2017 Croker Cup champion died earlier this year. Floating Valley, the Brookfield Floating Lux dam of the champion, also has Dublin form, having being well-placed in The Irish Field Breeders Championship.

PJ Lehane’s P.J’s Passion (Munther) and Patricia Hoey’s Paddy Tyson (Tyson) rounded off the top three places from 10 entries.

Glynn gets the edge

The third final in Ring 2 was the two-year-old filly final, transferred from Kildysart and judged by Maura Rooney. Friendly sibling rivalry saw Darragh Glynn edge out his father PJ and brother Lorcan’s entry when the secondary school teacher won with Crannaghmore Emir’s Cailin, shown by girlfriend Niamh Varley. Her father John owns the filly’s sire Elusive Emir, another former Croker Cup champion.

This was the second All Ireland champion Mary’s Lady produced for the couple, as the Aughrim Knight mare is the dam of their Mountbellew traditional champion three years ago.

Reserve was Crannaghmore Going For One (Loughehoe Guy), bought from local publican Padraig Connaughton. Another aptly named full brother is Last Orders, a previous HOYS finalist.

Tom Newell’s Kilcahill Beyonce (Elusive Emir) placed third for her owner-breeder who enjoyed watching Spotlight win the opening class, the yearling colt/gelding final, for another father and son team in William and Aidan Williamson.

This final has moved around the country down through the years with previous host shows including Ballinasloe, Ennis, Castlewellan and more recently, Barryroe before moving northwards in the Rebel County to Saturday’s event.

The Williamsons had admired Dessie Gibson’s Balmoral champion Legacy and sourced this Financial Reward full brother last year. Their full sister Kilcahill Sapphire, won the Mountbellew traditional foal final in 2014 and is now the dam of Kilcahill Beyonce.

PJ Lehane collected another reserve title of the day in this final with P.J’s Prophecy (Centennial) and third was Adrian Burke’s Friarsquarter Sergio (Pointilliste).

Eyleen Nugent had a handful of entries to choose from in the yearling finals and her champion in the relocated Bridgetown final was Ian Murphy’s Barnaview Dancing Queen. Bred by his parents Hughie and Mary, she is out of the Clonakilty Hero mare Barnaview Queen and by the Swinford family’s own thoroughbred, the ex-Jim Bolger-trained Singing’n’dancing.

His eldest crop of yearlings include offspring of the Dublin-winning mares Barnaview Misty River (Chillout) and Lady Fassagh, Paul Cleary’s Coote Cup broodmare champion.

Reserve went to Donegal exhibitor Valerie Davis’s entry My Island Queen (Island Commander).

Judges were in abundance on Saturday with Pat Hoare in charge of the All Ireland Irish Draught two-year-old filly final, usually held at Limerick Show. It attracted three entries this year with Eddie Murphy’s Oxview Grace moving up to head the line-up. Bred by Gerry Ferguson, the chesnut is another by an in-house stallion as her sire, Inisfree The Holy Grail, is owned by the Murphy family in Charlestown.

An All Ireland champion foal at Ballinasloe two years ago, Saturday’s winner is out of the Harkaway Lionhawk dam My Rosie.

Reserve was Haesel Dickson’s first Irish Draught purchase Cornsky Hattie’s Favourite (Scrapman) and third was Ian Murphy’s Freya’s Lady (Carrigfada Troy).

Strict numbers in attendance, due to pandemic restrictions, meant few spectators although many exhibitors were glad to be back on the show scene again.

“I thought the day went very well despite the wet day we had, it didn’t stop the exhibitors turning out with their animals. I felt the quality was very good but the quantity in some classes wasn’t there for various reasons,” ISA president Catherine Gallagher commented afterwards.