HAZELDENE Farm hosted the second of five ‘Balmoral Star of the Future’ performance horse championship qualifiers last Sunday, when those computer gremlins decided it was playtime.

Thankfully, the important information regarding who had secured a ticket had been posted by that stage so we know that Lucca Stubington topped the scores of judge Carol Prime in the five-year-old section with the Irish Sport Horse gelding Magic Angelo (84 marks).

This chesnut daughter of Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve was bred by his owner, Sheelagh Kennedy, out of the Luidam mare Magic Cuidam who jumped to National 1.40m Grand Prix level with Neal Fearon. Magic Angelo has competed at one registered jumping show and won a 17-runner Intro dressage class during the Baileys Horse Feeds flexi eventing series at The Meadows.

Ben Rainey finished second (83) on Ella Boyle’s previously-qualified traditionally-bred ISH gelding Monbeg Comet (Abbeyfield Comet - Laughtons Clover Lily, by Nigrasine), with the ever-busy Emma Jackson placing third (81) on Corey Mawhinney’s ISH mare Glasdrumman For Sure. Jackson bred this daughter of Creevagh For Sure, who is the eldest of five foals on the Irish Horse Register out of her Amiro M mare Bella B.

As Monbeg Comet was already qualified, Colin Halliday booked a spot with the fourth-placed Jimble Eva (78), who is owned by her breeder, Norman Walsh. The ISH mare by Lougherne Cappuchino is out of Jimble Imp who is by the French thoroughbred Jimble out of a Master Imp mare.

https://foto.ifj.ie/fotoweb/archives/5006-Irish-Horse-World/Irish%20Horse%20World/2020/Ruas3.jpg.info#c=%2Ffotoweb%2Farchives%2F5006-Irish-Horse-World%2F%3Fq%3Dhazeldene

Alyssa O'Neill and Dermish Coney win the six and seven-year-old Balmoral Star of the Future qualifier at Hazeldene \ Anne Hughes

Alyssa O’Neill won the five-year-old Star of the Future Championship in the Main Arena at Balmoral back in 2024 with Dermish Coney and, on Sunday, booked a spot in the six and seven-year-old final on the same ISH mare when topping Prime’s leaderboard with 84 marks. The Lancelot bay was bred in Co Clare by Susan Moloney out of Quality Cruising (by OBOS Quality 004).

“We are very excited to be back with Riley this year to compete in the six and seven-year-old final,” said Co Kildare-based O’Neill. “She is also entered in the working hunter section, which we are using as a warm-up for the Royal International Horse Show in July. She qualified for Hickstead at Clonmel Show last July so, this year, all our preparation is focused on the Royal International.

“Riley finished up her competition campaign last year by placing sixth (of 19 on her dressage score) in the EI100 National Championship at Barnadown, so we will be aiming to get her out eventing again throughout this season as well.” For the record, Dermish Coney also has 52 Show Jumping Ireland points to her credit.

Riding for her mother Hilary, dental student and hockey player Erin Mathieson qualified in second (on 80 marks) with the Gabriel Mullins-bred seven-year-old ISH mare (My) DG Dawn Chorus (Je t’Aime Flamenco - Slaney Pointillist, by Pointilliste). Mathieson was placed six times in EI100 (Junior) or EI110 (Junior) classes on the bay last season and rounded off their 2025 campaign in the CCI2*-L at Ballindenisk in September.

Colin Halliday claimed another ticket in third on the ISH gelding Apple Jacques (79), who is owned by his wife Orlagh and Grace O’Shaughnessy. The Brendan Gardiner-bred six-year-old, who is by Vancouver out of Dolmen Dongle (by Dolmen Deja Vue), won a 22-runner EI90 at Loughanmore in early August last year, on his third start at that level, before moving up a level at Hazeldene 3, where he finished fifth of 21. The chesnut was then brought over to Cornbury House where he took on the EI105 level challenge, adding just some cross-country time penalties to his dressage score.

The third Star of the Future qualifier takes place today at Gransha Equestrian. The sole qualifier down south will be held on Wednesday next, March 18th, at Wexford Equestrian (entries close at 12 noon on Monday) with Lusk Equestrian hosting the final leg on Sunday next, March 22nd.