THE Laois Branch of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders’ Association ran their one-day event at Stradbally Hall on Sunday, April 26th, by the kind permission of Thomas Cosby and his family, who are always a great support to the branch.

It was great to see this event up and running again after missing out last year. The Irish Draught class had a beautiful line-up of horses, which were a pleasure to watch doing their dressage. Dressage judge Jean Halpenny remarked on how impressed she was with every horse presented to her. Grace Kavanagh held on to her dressage lead after the final phase to finish on her score of 31.54, on her 15-year-old solid campaigner Mountain Emerald by Mountain Pearl out of Munich Daisy bred by Noel Canning. Helen Keathley took second with a score of 32.88, along with the prize for the highest-placed four-year-old on Mollywee Mo Gra Chroi by Inisfree the Holy Grail, bred by Dominic Cassidy. Grace Kavanagh took third place on her second ride, Rebel Dancer, a nine-year-old gelding by Crosstown Pride out of Derrynagarra Constance, bred by Alex Moores, on 34.81 penalties. Grace and her sister Anne are always great supporters of this event, which one or other or indeed both have competed in every year it has run. Patricia Molloy on her five-year-old Growhowdy Grandpa Clover moved up two places after going clear cross-country to take fourth with 35.2 penalties. Growhowdy Grandpa Clover is by Cloonacauneen Grandpa, dam out of Fidachta Hazel, and was bred byMartin O’Neill.

The second class of the day for TIHs, Connemaras, Thoroughbreds and part-bred Irish Draughts numbered 15 entries, of which 10 were TIHs. Maggie Rose Brennock took the honours here with her seven-year-old Grandpas Rebel gelding, Rebel Freddie bred by Kenneth Quinn, when they finished on their dressage score of 30.96. Celine Salter and Irish Tot, a nine-year-old mare by Rebel Mountain, bred by Ann Cumiskey, moved from third after dressage to second with a score of 31.35. Lucija Doensek and her 15-year-old mare Leannoch by Trendy Glider, bred by Sean Fahy, were third on 33.46, while fourth went to Marie Byrne with her home-bred Inisowen Lady, a seven-year-old mare by Inisowen, scoring 33.85. In fifth was Gaye Parkinson on Park Rio, an eight-year-old gelding by Charleville Playboy, bred by Gaye, scoring 34.42. Sixth was Aidan Daly’s home-bred Lambscross Spirit Master, ridden by Adam Campbell, a five-year-old Templar Spirit (GB) (SHB) gelding out of the mare Lambscross Gra, on a score of 34.62 penalties.

The third class of the day, sponsored by Pegus Horse Feed, was the Leisure Horse class. In first place, winning a Pegus rug was Teresa Campbell’s HVL Golden Girl, a seven-year-old mare ridden by Adam Campbell scoring 33.65. The best dressage score in their class and in the top five best tests of the whole day was from Liddy Nolan’s Morning Flyer, ridden by Holly Kidd, who finished second on 51.73. Liddy, riding her other horse, Clonkela Rua, also finished third on the day.

The Laois Branch thanked everyone for making the day such a success.

“Thanks also to all the branch members, who helped put the whole show together. We love it to be a good social day, as well as a good competition. A day in celebration of our wonderful Irish Draught,” said Maryclare Travers.