THE 2025 Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association (IDHBA) Laois Branch Show was held on Sunday, July 6th, at the picturesque Stradbally Hall, hosted by the Cosby family. Show Chairman Timmy Wilson commented: “We’re delighted to see entry numbers are up compared to recent years, especially as there are a number of other shows on today around the country.”

Five classes were funded by the Breeding Grant Initiative, under National Breeding Services with thanks to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and delivered by Horse Sport Ireland. The Traditional Irish Horse Association supported three classes and the Championship for TIHs, with a class for TIH youngstock added to the schedule for the first time. Treo Eile was a new sponsor for this year, supporting a ridden and performance class for thoroughbred horses.

The day began with three youngstock classes in front of judges Daniel Molloy and Niamh Condell. The Champion from this section, Caoimhe Goland’s two-year-old filly Ballinglen Josie, was bred by Joe Walsh and is by Clogheen Captain Jack, out of Kilcommon Star by Grange Bouncer. In the Reserve spot was Siobhan English’s three-year-old filly RSS Touching Story, whose breeder Jimmy Heery was ringside to see her receive the sash. This filly is by Touch of the Emperor out of the Rosheen Yeats mare Our Rosheen. She was led on the day by IDHBA Secretary Sharon Mannion, making her return to the show ring after a spell on the sidelines due to injury.

For the first time, a TIH youngstock class was included in this year’s programme. This was won by Niamh Grimes’s yearling gelding Carrafarm Light My Way, who is by Carrick Diamond Royale, out of Irish Draught mare Carrafarm Homecoming by Lionwood Kinsales Lad. While entry numbers were low for its inaugural running, the committee hopes this will build in future years.

The mare and foal classes were very well supported, with 10 combinations entered for the Irish Draught mare class, won by Offaly Pride for owner and breeder Jimmy Heery. The seven-year-old mare is by Offaly Clover out of Ballindrimna Lady. Jimmy then won the colt foal class with his foal by Carrabawn Cross. The filly foal class was won by Terry Keogh’s foal by Clogheen Captain Jack, out of his mare Noreens Cross.

The Breeders’ Championship class was won by James Heery’s Offaly Pride with her colt foal by Carrabawn Cross. This class was for Class 1 and Class 2 Irish Draught mares with a pure-bred foal at foot and was judged with 40% of the marks for the mare and 60% of the marks for the foal. Judge James Duffy came over from the ridden ring to join Niamh Condell and Danny Molloy with the three judges scoring each combination independently.

Jimmy Heery’s Offaly Pride was Champion Mare with Reserve going to Clogher Cleopatra, owned and bred by Denis McGrath. She is by Castlegar Fin Grove out of Tuam Rose. The Champion Foal was Terry Keogh’s filly foal with Jimmy Heery’s colt foal in the Reserve slot.

Supreme in-hand champion was Caoimhe Goland’s three-year-old filly Ballinglen Josie, with James Heery’s Offaly Pride in Reserve.

Consular Assistance with Roisin Conway showing her emotion after her Ridden Traditional Irish win at the Laois IDHBA Show Stradbally \ Mel Doyle

Secret returns

Over in Ring 2, judges James Duffy and Eimear Lawlor had a busy day, with nine classes to oversee. The opening class was for In-Hand geldings four years and older, which was won this year by Judith Long’s Abbeyward Max, a five-year-old gelding by Castleview Inisfree Farmer, out of Abbeyward Corcaigh by Moylough Bouncer and was bred by Tom Daly.

Making a return visit to the show, Roisin Conway’s A Secret to Remember won the Ridden Irish Draught six-year-old+ class. This seven-year-old gelding is by Tors Gentleman Farmer, out of Crummy White Star, by Creevagh Grey Rebel, and was bred by Cyril McSweeny.

Roisin also won the Ridden Traditional Irish Horse class with six-year-old bay gelding Consular Assistance, by Irish Draught stallion Clonyhea Paddy, out of Red Valley Lady, who was by thoroughbred stallion Nash Me, bred by Edward Corbett.

The newly added Racehorse to Riding Horse class went to Clíodhna Kenny with Dunvegan, a 12-year-old gelding, by Le Harve, out of Or Des Joncs, bred by Mlle Lara Kovenko and M. Jerome Brion.

After lunch, the Performance Hunter classes proceeded over the well-dressed Wayne Allen-designed course, with fences provided by Micheal Murphy. Jill Brown and A Hero’s Welcome won the Irish Draught Performance Hunter class, finishing ahead of owner/breeder Sharon Mannion’s Shma Miss Windgap, a six-year-old mare partnered by her usual jockey Lindsay Casserly.

In the Traditional Irish Horse Performance Hunter class, another prolific home-bred mare, Amy Finn’s Goldfield Rebel, a five-year-old mare by Rebel Mountain, out of Orbit Jewel, by Orbis, took the red ribbon.

The Performance Hunter for Thoroughbred Horses was won by Valerie Crean’s Kildoon Trix, a 16-year-old gelding by Fruits of Love out of Rainbow Trix, by Tremblant, bred by Thomas Murphy.

Ridden Champion, A Secret to Remember ridden by Roisin Conway and Reserve, A Hero’s Welcome ridden by Jill Brown pictured with judges Emer Lawlor and James Duffy at the Laois IDHBA Show Stradbally \ Mel Doyle

Another new addition this year was the Performance Hunter class for Part-Bred Irish Draughts. This class was well-supported with some great jumping rounds. It was won by Gillian Cody and Lisbrien Boy, a 13-year-old gelding, by Crannagh Hero, out of Julie’s Regal Sting, by Regal Sting, bred by Tom Ryan.

The day concluded with two Championships in the Ridden Ring. The Traditional Ridden Champion came from the Working Hunter class with Amy Finn and Goldfield Rebel taking the sash and familiar green and gold rug, generously provided by the Traditional Irish Horse Association. In Reserve was Roisin Conway’s Consular Assistance.

The Ridden Irish Draught Champion was Roisin Conway’s A Secret to Remember, with Jill Brown’s A Hero’s Welcome in Reserve.

The Laois Branch Show secretary Samantha FitzSimons extended her heartfelt thanks on behalf of the committee to all sponsors, volunteers, competitors and judges for making the 2025 show a resounding success. She commented: “It’s a significant undertaking for our small branch to set up for this show on a green field site and take it all down again on Sunday evening, but it’s definitely worth it to be able to host here in Stradbally Hall, there is nowhere quite like it!”