Thoroughbred/non-thoroughbred mares

Cavalier Claire a champion mare

AT the 2016 Balmoral Show, there were two classes for thoroughbred/non-thoroughbred mares and one dedicated Irish Draught class which had an excellent entry.

As the 2026 action commenced in the P and O Ferries Arena on the Wednesday morning, there was just one thoroughbred/non-thoroughbred class. Here, on the plus side, all six entries met their engagement but not one of the four ID mares catalogued made an appearance.

As their Bluegrass Horse Feed champion, judges Bridget Millington and Mark Tamplin selected Claire Shearer’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse GHS Cavalier Claire (Cavalier Cruise – GHS Dremore Hill, by Saracen Hill) who, to no great surprise, was bred in Co Tyrone by Leanne Marshall. The bay, who did a small bit of show jumping as a five-year-old and was successfully shown in hand, has bred one foal registered as an ISH, the three-year-colt Oakleys Apollo (by Zapatero VDL). This year’s recently born produce by Clonaslee Captain Cristo finished reserve in the foal championship to Paula Howard’s Cascari-sired foal out of the five-year-old Tullabeg Hello (by Hiello).