EMMA Jackson, and other local riders, failed to fend off the southern challenge at Gransha on Saturday, so she headed down to Wexford Equestrian for Wednesday’s fourth qualifier for the Pegus Horse Feed performance Irish Draught championship at Balmoral Show and won both classes.

Sally Parkyn, who shared the judging duties at the Eventing Ireland Western Region eventing starter series qualifier at Milchem Equestrian on Sunday, had the assessing stage to herself on Wednesday and, in the Draught section, was most impressed by Jackson’s ride in the four and five-year-old class, an unnamed gelding by Moylough Bouncer, awarding him a score of 130 marks.

“He just floated over the ground,” said Parkyn of Nigel and Susan Coulson’s five-year-old grey, who was bred in Co Tipperary by Roy Armitage out of the Ard Grandpa mare Scarlett Anna; she was bred almost exclusively to ID stallions. Sean Looney appeared at his third qualifier within a week to finish second on the already-qualified Ahalative Goldsmith (125.5).

Simon Kelly’s much-beribboned five-year-old Farmhill Highlander gelding Clogher Highlander had failed to qualify at Gransha under Diarmuid Ryan, but did so here in third on a score of 124.5 in the hands of Christine O’Donnell, who also qualified in fifth with Dermot Molloy’s WRS Sun Rise four-year-old Jackdenvicon (118.5). Splitting the O’Donnell pair to secure a ticket in fourth was Deirdre Rafter with Growhowdy Grandpa Clover (123), a five-year-old son of Cloonacauneen Grandpa.

There were 17 starters in that class and 13 in the six-year-old and upwards section. All completed apart from one combination in each class who both incurred technical eliminations.

Jackson’s winner on 129.5 marks of the older horses’ class was the stallion Bannvalley Whisper (Gortfree Hero - Bannvalley Mandolin, by Moylough Bouncer). The grey has 100 Show Jumping Ireland points to his credit, stands at the Glasdrumman Stud outside Ballynahinch, Co Down and was bred In Co Wexford by Pat and Miriam O’Sullivan.

Niamh Nolan qualified in second on 127 marks with the 12-year-old Ballybrack Diamond gelding Toberpatrick Tom Boy, who has 223 Dressage Ireland points to his credit, while Jenny Williams finished third (126.5) on her eight-year-old Kiltybane Naldo gelding Ballyrussel Misty, who qualified at Gransha on Saturday.

This mid-week qualifier suited the busy Louise Lyons, whose weekends have recently been spent ferrying children to Irish Pony Club Triathlon and Biathlon qualifiers and she secured a ticket in fourth (120.5) with Lady Perdita Blackwood’s much-decorated eight-year-old Scrapman gelding Clandeboye.

Diarmuid Ryan restricted himself to just one ride in this class and made it count when claiming the last ticket in fifth (119) with the 17-year-old chesnut Crosstown Pride gelding Fathach Rua Mor, who used to event at EI110 (Amateur) level, having his last start under Eventing Ireland rules in late September 2018.

One can cover a lot of miles competing at qualifiers and anyone who still has to secure a ticket for Balmoral’s performance ID championship will be heading to Tubberbride Stables in Co Sligo tomorrow in a last chance bid to bag a spot in the finals.