IN common with the Dublin Horse Show, one of the most popular sections at Balmoral with riders and spectators is that for performance Irish Draughts which this year was sponsored by Theault Horseboxes and dominated by Victoria Teuton.

The Donaghadee-based coach and producer first won the four-year-old class (with a near 11-point advantage) on Andy Burns’s Rockrimmon Silver Diamond gelding Shannaghamore White Smoke who was bred in Co Cork by James Whyte out of the Crannagh Hero mare Inisfree The White Lady.

Not too surprisingly, there were only six entries in that class but 30 in the five-year-old and upwards division of which five failed to meet their engagement in the Main Arena on Friday morning.

Here, Teuton recorded an even more impressive result with Kathryn Knox’s Braeview Codega who completed on a total of 193.56 while the second-placed Rockrimmon Star Turn, Andrew Getty’s 11-year-old Star Kingdom gelding, ended his day on 176.81.

For the championship, Teuton decided she had better partner the four-year-old offering the ride on Braeview Codega to her good friend Grainne Moore who took the title ahead of her sometime stable-companion.

To say Teuton was delighted is an understatement. “This was a really special Balmoral for me and for the family,” she commented. “We have had a very long and hard winter as we nearly lost Anya (12-year-old daughter) through illness but this week she was highly-placed in the under 16s’ Connemara working hunter class on a pony that she has ‘made’ herself. I am very proud of her and of her sister Rhia (10) who was groom for us both. It was a week none of us will ever forget.”

Understandably, Anya’s father Raymond Bready was a nervous wreck while his daughter was competing and, in his role as commentator for the horse working hunters on Friday afternoon, apologised to all fathers he had slagged off over the years!

While Braeview Codega’s owner Kathryn Knox has recovered from the very serious injuries she suffered last year and successfully competed the 11-year-old Flagmount Clover Diamond mare at the Northern Ireland Festival, she had to sit exams last week.

The ride on the dark bay, who was bred in Co Monaghan by Padraig McKernan out of the Mountain Pearl mare Dernahatten Pearl, was then passed to Teuton but the owner’s mother Heather was very much part of the team at the show.

In Thursday’s well-filled flat class for Irish Draughts, Braeview Codega had to settle for fourth behind the Carrickrock Close Shave gelding Shanbally Lord Of The Rings who was ridden for Craughwell exhibitor Tom McNamara by his daughter Maria.

This imposing five-year-old, who was bred in Co Kerry by James Murray out of the Banks Fee Daniel mare Banks Jessica, can only improve with age. He is highly regarded by the rider.

First and second in both performance classes and in the flat class have qualified for the Blue Chip IDHS Challenge in Britain.