THE performance Irish Draught championship at the Stena Line Dublin Horse Show is staged to demonstrate the ability, temperament and suitability of the breed for the amateur riding market and they don’t come much closer to the ideal than Ann Lambert’s regular participant, Killinick Bouncer.

The 14-year-old Grange Bouncer stallion, who was champion under his owner in 2015, qualified for next month’s show at Rincoola last Saturday in the hands of new partner Ciaran Moran. As the grey dominated the 10-runner older horses’ class, completing on 242 points with Lackyle Executive Decision (Amanda Fahy) next best on 227.5, Killinick Bouncer secured the only ticket on offer in Section A.

Of course, the stallion will be double-jobbing at the RDS showgrounds as, on the final afternoon, he will be taking part in the Horseware riding club team show jumping championships when his owner will be in the saddle as captain of Carne, winners of the title in 2009. Killinick Bouncer was bred by Pennsylvanian Leslee Asbury out of Eileen Dun. This Flagmount King mare is dam also of Lambert’s five-year-old Robin de la Maison stallion FHS Jack Robin whose first foal was born this week.

Also paying a return visit to Dublin will be the Section B winner, Crossgales Silver Diamond, who was ridden for owner Claire Kelly by Helen Keatley. The seven-year-old roan gelding, who was bred in Co Leitrim by Patrick Cooke out of an Agherlow mare, had a fence down but won the flat work phase and received the full 10 points for conformation en route to a total of 239.

Taking the second qualifying ticket was the Maeve Carty-ridden Cappa Aristocrat, who was champion Irish Draught stallion at last year’s Dublin Horse Show, a class in which Killinick Bouncer was sixth. James Quinn’s seven-year-old grey, who completed on a total of 233, recorded one of only two clear rounds.

A broadband issue seemingly led to Hollypark Bouncer’s name not appearing in the list of starters for Section A of the four and five-year-old class but he certainly appeared in the results, topping the scores on 236 points to take the first qualifying ticket.

The 2013 grey gelding, who recorded the only clear in the eight-strong class was ridden for the Co Galway-based enterprise Hollypark Horses by Ian Moloney. He was bred in Co Cork by Sean Scannell out of the Moylough Bouncer mare Ballyvourney Bouncer.

Raphael Lee partnered Patrick Mellett’s four-year-old Dunbeggan Grey Mist gelding Prospect Mist to claim the second qualifying ticket on a total of 232.5.

As the Belinda Brereton-owned, Helen Keatley-ridden Fintan Star, winner of Section B on 235 points, had previously qualified for Dublin, the ticket on offer went to SCT Master Of The Hounds whose owner and rider, siblings Philippa and Christopher Scott, have had a busy time of late keeping track of winning graduates of Barnfield Equestrian. This five-year-old grey gelding by Castlegar Rebel recorded the only clear round as he finished the day on 228 points.

CHANGES

The restriction introduced this season on the number of horses a rider could compete at the qualifiers certainly had an effect on entries through the qualifiers.

There were good-sized entries for both sections of the five to seven-year old class at the final Connemara performance hunter championship qualifier but, once again, the numbers contesting the older division were low in comparison and it was disappointing to see so many non-completions in the eight to 15-year-old group.

In Section A, there were three eliminations and one retirement from nine starters with three of the nine runners in Section B receiving the big ‘E’. However, the most comprehensive success on the day came in that section where the Rachel Moore-partnered Hilltop Foggey completed on 246 points which left her nine clear of the previously-qualified Irish Cousin, an 11-year-old Silver Shadow mare owned and ridden by Niamh Ruane.

Laura McVeigh’s winner, who is also 11, is by Tulira Robuck and was bred in Co Clare by Peter O’Rourke out of the Ardravinna Andy mare Hilltop Mist. The grey, who was second in both her flat and working hunter Connemara classes at Balmoral in May, received the full 10 points for conformation on Saturday.

Also qualifying for Dublin from this class was the third-placed Clooneybreen Poitin (233), a nine-year-old Oisin gelding owned and ridden by Hazel Valentine.

The Curran family’s Charlie Of Blakehill, who finished sixth in the older pony championship last year, will be return to do battle next month as he secured his ticket when winning Section A on Saturday with a total of 241.5 points.

He and Killaan Blu, who qualified in second place (239) under Elise Dawson, both jumped clear and received nine points for conformation. However, the winner, a 10-year-old Coosheen Stormboy gelding who was bred in Spiddal by Joan Clancy out of the Champion Bob mare Atlantic Lady Joan, just had the edge on the flat and received one point more for rhythm and fluency.

As both the winner, Westonhouse Buachaill Mor (245.5 points), and second-placed Foxtrot Treacle (238) had both previously qualified, the first Dublin ticket in Section A of the five to seven-year-old class went to Victoria who finished third under Zohra Smyth. The five-year-old grey mare by Bay Shadow is out of James Morris’ Windy’s Boy mare Drymills Beauty. Nicola Walshe partnered her own six-year-old Robe Johnson gelding Cluainin Robb to qualify in fourth (231.5).

There were seven withdrawals from that section but only three from Section B which was won by the Keelan Murphy-ridden Lough Fadda Rudi (241.5), a seven-year-old Coosheen Stormboy stallion who had qualified previously.

Alyssa O’Neill claimed the first ticket on Deborah McCann’s home-bred five-year-old Murvey Ronan gelding Hollywood Chase Me Charlie (238), who is out of the Moy Johnny’s Pride mare Sunny Dun, while the second went to the Lisa Murphy-ridden Legends Mate (236.5), a six-year-old dun Lonsdale Legend gelding.