THE Cork Kerry Branch of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders’ Association had noticed declining numbers in in-hand classes over the past couple of seasons and put their heads together to see what could be done to turn things around.

It was noted that there was a lack of high-profile competitions for Irish Draughts in the Munster region. To this end, they embarked on a partnership with Cork Summer Show to put on attractive Irish Draught mare and foal competitions with a total prize fund of €3,700 across the three classes. Cork Summer Show was also the ideal shop window to showcase the Irish Draught breed, with more than 30,000 visitors frequenting the event.

The Irish Draught Mare Championship was open to class 1 and class 2 Irish Draught mares. Bucking the trend for broodmare classes this year, the generous €2,500 prize fund attracted 10 quality mares, giving the judges, David Kirkpatrick and Clare Oakes, a difficult task. Standing top of their lineup, making the trip from Kildare worthwhile, was Ronán Styne and Linda O’Byrne’s Lilliputs Top Dollar (Scrapman - My Rathbaun lady), bred by Seamus Heffron.

Standing reserve was Sean and Freddie Scannell’s Derrynasagurt Rose (Cappa Cassanova - Cloonfane Countess). In third place was Richard Middleton’s Callows Luna (Callows Comet Gold - Kingstead Emma).

As has been the case with all the early shows, foals were less plentiful, perhaps a sign of the very late spring this year. In the €600 ID colt foal section, the red rosette again went to Ronan Stynes and Linda O’Byrne with Lilliputs Action Man (Inisfree The Holy Grail – Lilliputs Top Dollar), who also qualified for the ISA All-Ireland Championship at Ballinasloe. In the reserve spot, was Daniel Coughlan’s colt by Carraigstud Jack.

In the filly foal section, which again carried a prize fund of €600, Jim Kingston’s unnamed filly by Cappa Amadeus - Carrigbawn Honey was the winner. In second was Mary O’Riordan’s Hazel (Heigh Ho Dubh - She Got Rhythm). Third place went to Richard Middleton’s filly by Cloncastle Silver Squire - Callows Luna.

In the ID young stock section, the yearling class went to Denis O’Brien’s Carraig Cross (Goldsmithcountry Oliver – Goldsmithcountry Esther). The two and three-year-old class went to Russell and Judith Cowley’s Cloneyhea Blossom (Cloneyhea Paddy - Cloneyhea Hope).

Irish Draughts were also in action in both the ridden hunter and the working hunter arenas. In the ridden Irish Draught class, the red rosette went to Orlaith Stokes’ Highland Farmer (Farmhill Highlander - Black Misty Lady), bred by Owen Hallinan. The Irish Draught Working Hunter class went to Lorna Neville’s Rochestown Tiara (Penmerryls Rhythm and Blues - Rochestown Pearl), bred by James O’Donoghue.

In the Overall Irish Draught Championship, Ronan Stynes’s Lilliputs Top Dollar came out on top, with Russell and Judith Cowley’s Cloneyhea Blossom taking the reserve champion title. These placings were maintained in the Native Irish Breeds’ Supreme Championship.