THE O’Connor family from Co Wexford had a rewarding day at Tullylish last Saturday, as they brought home two qualifying tickets for Dublin, one for the performance Connemara hunter final and the other for the performance Irish Draught division.

Not one to let her niece Ciara get one over on her if at all possible, Edwina O’Connor won Section B of the six-year-old and upwards performance Irish Draught class on a score of 238.5 points with her 12-year-old gelding Ashwood Reggie (Keamore Diamond Clover - Beara Lady, by Fast Silver), who was bred in Co Wicklow by David Miley.

Well-produced and ridden, the grey is what one would imagine fits the bill as regards the aims of this class. He has been placed numerous times in Dublin, most recently finishing second last year, he has 301 Show Jumping Ireland points to his credit, he has won all four of his starts (three this year) with Eventing Ireland and has competed in Riding Club activities. As Ashwood Reggie won so comprehensively, there were no other tickets on offer in this class.

The two riders who bagged tickets in Section A were Co Galway-based Scottish rider Duncan McFadyen and Co Antrim’s Charlotte Harding.

McFadyen did so when winning on a score of 251 with the Sean Barker-owned, Julianna Corrigan-bred seven-year-old stallion Bawnbally Diamond (Carrabawn Cross - Ballynarimna Lass, by Drumri).

Harding claimed her ticket in second on Penny Murphy’s very versatile gelding Kontiki (247.5), a 12-year-old son of Killinick Bouncer who most recently finished fourth in Dublin last August, was sixth at Balmoral last month and now has 467 Dressage Ireland points to his credit.

Although they both secured their qualification for Dublin, Co Down’s Gwen Scott was unable to fend off the challenge of Danielle Lenihan in Section A of the four and five-year-old class.

Claimed the honours

The Co Limerick raider claimed the honours on 244 points with the Tony McHugh-bred four-year-old gelding Drawlin’s Dashing Lad (Turnerstown Breeze - Larragh Bouncer, by Clew Bay Bouncer).

Scott finished second (241) with Kathryn McClelland’s Echo King four-year-old Riverview Echo.

Another very busy producer at this time of year, Co Kilkenny-based Diarmuid Ryan, had four rides in this performance Irish Draught qualifier on Saturday and, once again, qualified at this venue with Simon Kelly’s five-year-old Clogher Highlander (Farmhill Highlander - Clogher Silvana, by Fast Silver), who was bred in Co Galway by Denis Grath.

The grey finished third in the four and five-year-old final at Dublin last year and filled the same position in similar company at Balmoral last month, when ridden by Christine O’Donnell.