MAKE sure to get down to the IDHBA National Breed Show at Punchestown on Saturday, August 31st next.

This is the 12th IDHBA National Breed Show and entries are closing on August 23rd so make sure you visit www.idhba.ie and have them in on time!

The organisers are pulling out all the stops to make sure that this is a wonderful showcase of all things Irish Draught and have even including a carriage driving class this year. It is open to all purebred Irish Draughts and there’s big interest from exhibitors far and wide. The class will be judged by Mary McGrath whose late father Joe was well known for exhibiting four beautiful Irish Draughts under carriage in the RDS, where the IDHBA Stand was extremely busy last week.

New in 2018 and included again this year, is the Premier Mare and Foal class with mares and foals judged 60/40 as a unit. There is €1,500 in prize money along with eight stallion nominations for this class. Another popular new class last year was the Ridden Irish Draught Mares. Additional sponsorship was secured through the HSI Breeding Fund and this class has a prize fund of €700 including a breeder’s prize of €100.

A performance class for four- and five-year-olds, with prize money of €485 has also been added to the schedule.

Another first at a national show will be a Performance Stallion Exhibition. Expect to see younger and older Irish Draught stallions give a performance display over the working hunter course. The organisers expect this to be a real showcase display for all to enjoy.

This year’s judging panel features Kerrilee Wilson who won the Olympia Supreme Championship riding her home-bred Irish Draught under side saddle, while others have either competed internationally or bred champion horses. The two Irish judges on the panel are the esteemed Tim Wilson Jnr and Dr Charmaine Kee.