ANN Marie Galligan judged the in-hand classes at last Sunday’s Irish Draught Horse Breeders’ Association Dublin Branch show in the National Horse Sport Arena where she found her champion, Liskillen Princess, in the day’s sole broodmare class.

Bred in Co Laois by Martin Collins out of the Uibh Fhaili ’81 mare Emo Princess, the 18-year-old champion is by the British-bred Donovan and was shown here by Thomas Fisher. That Blessington owner swapped the mare a couple of years ago for a yearling filly in a deal with off-shoot relation, Jimmy Heery.

The latter finished second in the mares’ class with his seven-year-old home-bred Offaly Clover chesnut Offaly Pride whose colt foal class winner by Carrabawn Cross stood reserve in the championship.

Also going through to the title decider carrying a red rosette was P.J. and Majella Glynn’s all-Ireland Irish Draught filly foal champion of 2024, Crannaghmore Lucky Dip. This chesnut daughter of Moylough Legacy claimed the yearling class honours ahead of Siobhan English’s Edenagor Star filly RSS Stars Align.

Grace Maxwell Murphy and husband William McMahon have been enjoying an excellent season with their horses and ponies and here were credited with breeding the winner of the two-year-old fillies’ class, Megan Fowler’s Gleann Rua Sapphire (by Gortfree Hero – Moylough Jewel, by Cappa Casanova). The blue rosette went to Alan Marks’s Scrapboy grey, Lilys Royal Poppy.

Lorcan Glynn showed Lisa Baker’s Malahow Grace’s Legacy (Moylough Legacy – Inisfree Farmers Daughter, by Tor Gentleman Farmer) to win the three-year-old fillies’ class. Here, second place was filled by Michelle Lucey’s Hollypark Diamond grey Graigueaverne Moonlight.

Supreme champion

Chris Carter enjoyed a very successful couple of days last weekend. At Gorey show on Saturday, Carter and his Irish Sport Horse gelding Bohermeen Pure Quality won the amateur section of the champion of champions qualifier and went reserve champion and they followed this up by winning the leisure horse championship here on Sunday.

However, the nine-year-old Munther bay had to play second fiddle to his stable-companion Cloonan Hector as that well-known grey won the ridden Irish Draught championship, the working hunter Irish Draught championship and then rounded off the day by being crowned supreme champion of the show. A 13-year-old grey gelding by Clew Bay Bouncer, Cloonan Hector was bred in Co Mayo by Tom Fitzgerald out of the Crannagh Hero mare Warren Wendy.

Jill Brown had a good show in her own right with her Gortfree Hero gelding A Heros Welcome when winning the open Irish Draught working hunter class on the grey who was bred in Co Dublin by Ashling Moffitt out of the Cream Of Diamonds mare Tawney Lady. However, she had to settle for reserve behind Carter and Cloonan Hector in that section and in the ridden division.

Carter (Tara Hill) and Brown (Drynam) were the recipients of two awards presented by Sarah Richardson for the highest-placed riding club members at the show.

At the recent Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ Festival, Brown claimed the working hunter championship with A Heros Welcome.

Having marked his return to the showing ranks with a hunter championship success at Athlone the previous weekend, P.J. Casey continued the comeback here when landing the Traditional Irish Horse title on the ridden class winner, Kindred Spirit, who he sold recently to Patrice Dorney and members of the Rawluk family.

“I purchased this fellow out of the field and he’s a smart sort who could do any job,” said Casey of the four-year-old who is being aimed at the small hunter section at the Dublin Horse Show.

The grey by Watervalley Cool Diamond was bred in Co Galway by Seamus Holohan out of the Curraghakeen Cashel mare Killeen Marta.

Having enjoyed great success as a Gaelic footballer with north Co Dublin club Fingal Ravens, Longwood, Co Meath-based Casey is now keeping himself fit by playing for Summerhill as is son Sean.

The ridden and performance classes on Sunday were judged by Niamh Condell (conformation) and Michael McGaffin (ride) who may have had a bit of a soaking when one very heavy shower fell during the morning but it was a mainly dry day otherwise.