LARGE crowds flocked to Tatts July Show, held last weekend in association with the Rolestown Show and the Ward Union Hunt, and the crowds generously helped raise much needed funds for the event’s official charity, the very worthy St Francis Hospice.

Admission to the show is free but donations and proceeds go towards the wonderful work of the Hospice.

No date has yet been set for next year’s show but the hardworking team at Tattersalls Ireland are already making plans for 2018!

Meanwhile, uniquely, it was a case of a winning doubles last weekend for the top honours in both the show jumping and show rings.

There was double joy for Capt. Geoff Curran, who stole the show and flew the tricolour high for the Army Equitation School, taking the two Grands Prix classes on offer. He triumphed first with the Minister for Defence’s Galway Bay Easy Touch to win the Friends of Rolestown Show €5,000 Grand Prix and, 24 hours later, won the TRM/Horseware New Heights Champions Series Grand Prix, with a prize fund of €10,000, with the Minister for Defence-owned mare Shannondale Rahona.

Not to be outdone, rider and producer Jane Bradbury and owner Daphne Tierney dominated the top showing honours.

Tierney’s four-year-old Lightweight Hunter Bloomfield Waterfall won the Champion Hunter of the Show and Daphne also had the pleasure of taking the Reserve Hunter Champion with Bloomfield Bespoke, the five-year-old Middleweight Hunter. Both horses were partnered by Jane in their classes.

Meanwhile, over 90 lined up for the first and only Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Qualifier to be held in Ireland. Horses completed four phases: dressage, jumping over a great course designed by Eugene O’Neill, conformation and quality, and suitability and potential.

In the four-year-old section, Make A Move, owned and ridden by auctioneer John Bannon claimed top honours, with Marti Rudd’s Monbeg Libertine in second and Nicki Roncoroni and Tamerlane in third.

The five-year-old qualifier was won by the Emma Jackson-owned and ridden Carra Lux Quality. In second place was Clare Abbott, riding Hamada, and in third were Camilla Speirs and BT Jump The Gun.

Full coverage of Tatts July 2017 with photographs from Jumpinaction.net and Sagittarian Photography on A51-54 and see also Picture Desk A58-59.