In spite of the number of competitors, the day ran without incident and the ever-present sunshine had all in good humour.

Show jumping judge Christine Walsh was kept busy with the regular Horse Mad Store graded classes in the morning and the three Master series competitions in the afternoon. For the latter, riders travelled from beyond the region to test themselves over the Eamonn Holmes-built tracks.

The raiders proved successful at Advanced Intermediate level where Meath’s Liz Bloomer saw off eight rivals in the jump-off to win on her 20-year-old Santa’s Sleigh gelding Ardrums Pride. The combination qualified for the Horseware team show jumping championships at the RDS in August from the Midlands’ region.

Six pairings went through to the second round of the Intermediate won by Mullaghmore’s Aisling O’Leary and Danzer Man. Disappointingly, Killossery’s Aoife Maguire had just two rivals to contend with in the Open which she landed on Mane Attraction.

The host club fared best in the Horse Mad Store dressage section winning half of the six classes contested including the Open/Advanced Open which went to Bernie Foley and Killossery Buddy. This time last year, the Moon Charm gelding was competing in the Junior class at Tattersalls, his third appearance at the international horse trials.

The young horse class was won by Kilronan’s Louise Somers and Indian Mist. Like Somers’s previous mount Blue Peters Pride, now competing under Olwyn Young, this bay gelding is a pure Irish Draught. The five-year-old is by Cappa Cochise out a Dunkerrin Grey Mist mare who comes the family of the Grade A jumper Creevagh Duca Diamond.

Somers and Indian Mist doubled up when landing the small hunter class, sponsored by Bernie Foley and Cheval chairman Angela Day, and then stood reserve in the showing championship.

Selected as champion by judges Niamh Grimes (riding) and Cormac O’Rourke (conformation) was the medium/heavyweight class winner Partial Eclipse. The 10-year-old My O My gelding, who has been enjoying a good season, was ridden by Michael Moore, one of the many Ashbrook members who formed the bulk of the stewards on duty for three days of dressage at Tattersalls.

Moore also won the lightweight class with the well-known 11-year-old grey mare Guaranteed Gold on whom Ashbrook’s John Gavin took the ride in the championship. The winner of the veteran trophy was the 18-year-old Paris Lights mare Clara Madame who finished second in the small hunter class under Copperfield’s Karen Gibney.

Martin King judged the McLoone M.A. working hunter division where Nathalie O’Hanrahan topped the line-up in the novice class which was restricted to Primary and Advanced Primary riders.

The Border Counties representative was on board her 19-year-old mare Dromiskin Hari who she has owned for the past 10 years. Fourth also in the Advanced Primary show jumping, the grey has only recently returned to competition having been out of action for six months.