THERE were three national age group classes running at the Gallagher Dublin Horse Show, four-year-old, five-year-old, six-year-old and an international seven/eight-year-old class consisting of some of best young horses competing in Ireland, along with some of the visiting international riders seven and eight year old horses. The combinations competed in qualifiers from Wednesday to Friday to made it to the championship finals on Saturday and Sunday.
Out of the top six in the four classes combined, 11 mares, nine geldings and four stallions took the placings, with mares winning two classes, geldings one class and stallions one class.
Six-year-olds
The Cruising six-year-old Championship was the class chosen to kick off the Gallagher Dublin Show 2026 and also started the final day proceedings on the Sunday with the championship final. Sunday’s final was a class where mares came to the fore with all horses in the top six being mares and it was Kilkenny woman Molly Hughes Bravo who came out on top with Bruna Batista De Oliveira’s Kilbracken Stakkato.
Last to go, Molly and the Stakkato Gold mare posted an unbeatable time of 33.07 while keeping all the fences up to go double clear. They qualified for the final by coming sixth in Thursday’s qualifier. After the class Molly Hughes Bravo told The Irish Field: “I’m delighted to win the championship, I only took over the ride in May one week before qualifying for Dublin so I am still only getting used to her, but lucky to have clicked so quickly.
“Kilbracken Stakatto is a very clever and brave mare so I felt comfortable trusting her in the jump-off even though it was only our second time going against the clock. Her big stride made the jump-off smooth and exceeded our expectations. Kate Derwin and Max Foley competed the mare this year while I was away and, along with Robyn Moran who competed her in 2025, they have done a great job producing such an amazing horse and I am very excited for the future.”
Harry Wood partnered Boleybawn Alexa who is by Grandorado Tn and owned by Boleybawn Horses and Ballypatrick to second place and reserve champion just behind Bravo in a time of 33.70. Harry and Boleybawn Alexa booked their place in Sunday’s final by coming sixth in the opening class on Wednesday.
Kian Dore continued his impressive year in 2026 by coming second in Wednesday’s qualifier and completing the podium in final on Sunday finishing in third with his father Carl Dore’s Olga D’Ecaussinnes. Carl Dore told The Irish Field: “Olga is a super mare who we think the world of, she is scopey and very careful. She has been in great form this year winning the six-year-old championship in Chard in April and qualified for Dublin at the first qualifier. The plan for the rest of the season is to compete at Millstreet and the Breeders’ Classic and then hopefully next month at Lanaken.”
Rhys Williams had a successful final day of the show, where he partnered Gareth Cassidy’s mare Glc Little Pleasure to fourth with the fastest four faults in 35.19. His father Adrian said: “Glc Little Pleasure is a very good mare, very consistent. She won the six/seven-year-old championship in Mullingar earlier in the year and was second in her qualifier for the RDS. Gareth Cassidy owns and bred her and owns the dam, there are some lovely youngsters coming through what we think will be a very successful bloodline.”
Timmy Brennan with Carol Gee’s Fernhill Bellucci took fifth with four faults in 36.01 and 2025 Junior individual European Champion Emily Moloney was sixth with the Julien Jacobs-bred mare Ukina.