THE glorious weather really helped for the smooth preparation of Bandon Show, Cork’s first agricultural show of the season, and remained for the day itself to see huge crowds and bumper entries in the equestrian section. The grounds maintained by the neighbouring Golf Club provided a beautiful carpet-like grass cover, which allowed horses to really float around the rings.

The mother and daughter team of Nina Doyle and Leah Kent were busy judging with some very big classes in the Ridden Hunter ring and Deirdre Burchill was their chosen champion with her RDS winning six-year-old Condios gelding Ballard Bridgeboy, who was bred by Patrick Quigley. Reserve went to Aidan Ryan’s four-year-old FJK Z Future by Future Trend and bred by Fergal King.

The Young Horse ring was a little quieter due to being early in the year but still of very good quality. Kildare judge Donna Cowens provided the Burchill family with a red riband day as John Burchill’s three-year-old filly stood Champion Young Horse having earlier won champion three-year-old and filly. It was a family affair as Sam, who also has the midas touch, stepped in to handle their home-bred Tyson filly while sisters Deirdre and Emma were busy in the ridden classes.

The standard of broodmares was very impressive this year. Loretta Hanley’s Barely a Moment mare who enjoyed great success under saddle winning in Dublin, was looking a picture after standing Supreme Champion in Kingdom last weekend. This time, she stood second to another RDS winner, John Walsh’s Darsi home-bred Gatsby’s Girl in the stinted or maiden mares. Gatsby’s Girl went on to be Champion Mare under the eye of judge Sharon Mannion. Champion foal went to John Roche’s Carribis Z filly.

Hotly contested

The feature class of the day was the hotly contested HSI mare and foal progeny class. Both judges Sharon Mannion and Donna Cowens made Wexford man John Roche’s journey to West Cork worthwhile, when he picked up a winning cheque of €500 for Assagart Fairytale, by Coroner. €150 was also awarded to the breeder of the winning mare.

Second place went to Sam and Jim Kingston’s Carrigbawn Honey, by Penmerryls Rhythm and Blues, who earlier won the Irish Draught mare championship. Her bay filly foal is by Alhebayeb, a thoroughbred stallion who lives over the road in Paddy and Susan McCarthy’s Meelin Stud.

The future is certainly bright for showing considering the huge classes in the pony rings. The introduction of family classes in the working hunter along with the ever-popular IPS classes provided the large crowd of spectators with plenty of thrills at the sidelines of the newly located working hunter arena.

Now in the centre of the field and beautifully built by Tony Hurley, the judging went on late into the evening which culminated in Grace Wycherley, who is in top form recently, winning the Working Hunter Championship and Zara Burke Ott winning the Horse class. The show would sincerely like to thank judge Nicholas Byrnes from Galway, who had a mammoth task of judging over 120 entries who jumped in his ring. Judge Fiona Goor who also had a long road home to Wicklow, very obligingly joined him in the later classes. Roisin Casey’s HJR Firecracker was Fiona’s Show Hunter Champion.

In the Led Pony ring, John Dineen’s Tyrellpass Charmer stood champion. Judge Marian Condron also judged a new young handler’s class for children aged 12 – 15, where she gave invaluable tips to all competitors who we hope one day will go on to show in the horse rings.

Show ponies

The show pony ring kicked off the day with 16 lead rein ponies and finished the day with 18 Connemaras. Judge Mary Carter’s chosen champion, however, came from the open 148cm class with Margaret Greene’s Harwent Moonraker impressing the most. Orla Whelton’s Pantycoad Mercutio had a busy day with his family and won the Mini Championship.

Aidan Williamson’s young Connemara Loughpark Harry Mac continued to improve as the day went on to win the Overall Champion Pony and Orla Whelton’s Pantycoad Mercutio going Reserve.

The Show would like to thank all the sponsors, competitors, stewards and judges for their support in what was one of the biggest shows they’ve had in years. It was a big relief to a mostly new committee this year, but mainly to the new chairperson Dermot O’Leary and secretary Jane Lumley, who have brought a new energy to the show and handled the pressures that go with it so graciously.

The horse committee would also like to thank Charles Dullea and Brendan O’Donovan, who masterminded the ring layouts and had them looking impeccable.

A special mention also to horse secretary Rosemary Deasy who was, as always, extremely well-organised and the late nights of preparing paid off with a very smooth running of big classes. As an avid gardener, she’ll be glad to be back to her flowers and enjoy the rest of season attending the local shows with her partner in crime Ann Crowley, who recently retired as chairperson after 17 years but is still the backbone of the show.