HORSE Sport Ireland’s new young handler championship, with its very substantial prizefund, attracted a large entry at Dunmanway recently. Six qualified from the HSI southern region for the €10,000 final in September which will be held at the National Ploughing Championships near Tullamore.

Qualifying from the junior division were Deirdre Burchill, Kelley-Anne Byrne and Ellie Duggan, while the senior finalists were headed by Julianne Williamson, Emily Crowley and Denis O’Driscoll, showing a variety of animals. Burchill, for example, showed Haven Blackjack, a Loughehoe Guy four-year-old and Williamson had the part-bred Welsh pony Goldengrove Temptress. The young handler championship format consists of showing a horse or pony around a triangle layout and producing a short video clip, shown on their mobile phone to the judges, on marketing their animal.

Siobhan Madden, who judged the qualifier with Andrew Gardiner, was impressed with the quality and had some constructive feedback to offer, saying: “The standard in today’s qualifier was exceptionally high, in both turnout of animal and handler. Almost all the handlers had gained experience from showing ponies which was evident.”

A thoroughbred breeder and consignor to the major sales, Madden felt that she felt the triangle suited the smaller animals, adding: “I’d be happy to have any of them work at the sales.”

The one area she suggested needed some guidelines was the video. “Maybe the handlers can be given some helpful hints on the homemade video which is a tool in selling the animal.” This added element to young handlers classes is also a new concept for ringside onlookers. “The spectators weren’t sure what we were doing looking at the handlers’ phones!” said Madden.

CHAMPIONS

Earlier in the day, the Dunmanway champions included Seamus Lehane’s broodmare winner Ballard Peaches And Cream, with the Kings Master four-year-old winning out over John Burchill’s Draught mare Rineen Silver, by Fast Silver, in reserve.

The Irish Draught tables were turned in the foal championship when Michael McCarthy’s Ballygarret Cross filly took this title over Declan Daly’s Munther colt.

John Tyner hit the jackpot in the young horse championship, scoring with the three-year-old Orestus gelding Bullseye and taking the reserve title for good measure with his two-year-old stable companion, Secret Weapon, by Womanizer. Another Dunmanway double was recorded by Rosarie Collins in the ridden horse section when her heavyweight hunter winner Mick Dundee, by Brookfield Floating Lux) took the ridden horse tricolour ahead of stable companion Shean’s Sunshine, another winner by the late Grey Macha stallion, WRS Sunrich.

In the pony rings, Fiona Goor’s Waltzing Matilda and Alan and Ellie Duggan’s Coosheen Jason were the ridden champion and reserve winners, while Martin O’Sullivan’s Absolute Star lived up to its name in the in-hand championship, ahead of Michael Calnan’s Kilmacbea Floss in reserve.