THE Dublin Branch of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders’ Association held their annual show last Sunday in the National Horse Sport Arena, Abbotstown where, in the sunshine, four champions were crowned.

The first, as selected by judge Orla Atkinson in the Centrepiece Rosettes in-hand section staged on grass, was Sean Cullerton’s Oak Brooke Heather (Killountain Cross - Good As Gold, by Moylough Bouncer), winner earlier of the two-year-old filly/gelding class. Bred in Co Wicklow by Frank Redmond, the grey filly claimed the title ahead of Jimmy Heery’s home-bred eight-year-old Offaly Pride (Offaly Clover - Ballindrimna Lady, by Donovan), winner of the broodmare class.

All other classes were judged by Jo Andrews (ride) and Debbie Tems (conformation), whose ridden champion in the Pivotal Recruitment Sand Arena was the very much in-form A Hero’s Welcome (Gortfree Hero - Tawney Lady, by Cream Of Diamonds).

The 10-year-old, who was ridden by his owner Jill Brown and was bred in Co Dublin by Ashling Moffitt, had finished second in his six-year-old and upwards class to the Aoife Keogh-owned and ridden seven-year-old gelding Caralackey Boy (Grandpas Diamond - Gabbys Pet, by Oh Carol’s Rebel), who was bred in Co Mayo by Joseph Duffy.

Standing reserve under Marie Helene Finegan was the four and five-year-old class winner Mongorry Ficara (Gortfree Lakeside Lad - Mongorry Saoirse, by Mongorry O’Murchui), a 2022 chesnut gelding bred by John Carlin in Co Donegal.

Sunday’s working hunter champion was the Sive Ryan-partnered novice class winner Friary Ballineen (Ballineen Its William - Callows Venus, by Callows Comet Gold), an Anthony Loughran-bred 2022 chesnut, who also won the Horse Sport Ireland four and five-year-old ‘Stepping Stones in Style’ class. The reserve sash was presented to Jill Brown on A Hero’s Welcome, who had finished runner-up in the open class to the Barry Higgins-owned and ridden, Francis Lafferty-bred 10-year-old mare Castanasky (Welcome Emperor - Castana Princess, by Castana).

The winner of the older ‘Stepping Stones in Style’ class was the Grace Kavanagh-ridden Mountain Emerald (Mountain Pearl - Munich Daisy, by The Conqueror). This Noel Canning-bred 15-year-old chesnut gelding topped the final line-up, ahead of A Hero’s Welcome and Caralackey Boy.

In another example of the championship being a class of its own, the winner of the Traditional Irish Horse title was the James Goland-bred working hunter second, Alderbrook Maxima (Financial Reward - Ballinglen Rebels Rosie, by Rebel Mountain), a 13-year-old chesnut mare ridden by her owner, Cathy Sayers. Standing reserve here was Angeline Carey’s ridden class winner, Shawslodge Ellie II (KMS Timeless - Cappog Ellie, by Creevagh Grey Rebel), a six-year-old mare bred by Patrick McKenna.