THERE was no championship in Sunday’s working hunter horses’ section, judged by Louise Somers at the Flavours of Fingal County Show but, as she won both the 1m and 1.10m classes, Linzi Sullivan claimed the riding honours on the Irish Sport Horse mare Foxcovert Dancingintherain.

The Rebel Mountain eight-year-old is owned by Sullivan’s father Raymond Dowdall, who bred the grey out of his Crosstown Dancer mare Carry On Dancing. While she has ridden plenty of winners on the racecourse, Sullivan had the thrill of a lifetime at last year’s Dublin Horse Show, when she and Foxcovert Dancingintherain stood reserve in the hunter mares’ championship in the Main Arena on the Saturday morning.

The pair have recorded many championship successes, both at Riding Club shows, where they represent Boyneside, and in open company. Early last month at Scarteen, Sullivan and Foxcovert Dancingintherain qualified for the older horses’ middle/heavyweight working hunter class at Dublin.

Also bound for the Ballsbridge showgrounds next month are Major Black and Good News Scotty, who were second to the grey mare in the 1m and 1.10m classes respectively. Major Black, a 16-year-old ISH gelding by Imperial Hights, was partnered by international event rider Lucy McIlroy for her mother Angela, while Good News Scotty, a 17-year-old son of Last News, was ridden by his owner Shauna Kidd.

Another combination who have qualified for the workers in Dublin, where they won the Traditional Irish Horse class in 2023, is Katie Byrne and the 16-year-old home-bred Gwennic de Goariva mare Fairyhouse Coco, who won the small horse class on Sunday. Joy Murray landed the 80cm class on her very consistent 13-year-old lightweight cob Bee Smooth. The track was designed by Tom Holden and built by Chris Byrne.