A RECORD number of horses were shown at the 57th Co Londonderry Horse Breeding Society Clydesdale Foal Show which was held on Saturday, December 13th at Ballymena Livestock Market.

The classes were judged by Terry Edge (Manor) from Wrexham in Wales whose senior and overall champion was Geoffrey and Lesley Tanner’s Cloghan Maisie, a yearling filly by Doura Aird Ambition who was bred in Limavady by George Smith out of the Great American Ben Franklin mare Cloghan Jodie. The reserve senior champion was another yearling filly, Freddie Lyle’s Cloghan Jolene (Doura Aird Ambition – Cloghan Orange Lily, by Great American Ben Franklin).

The reserve overall champion, opposition sex champion and champion foal, who came from the senior colt ranks, was the imported Collessie Mandate who was making his Northern Ireland debut.

Now owned by Moneymore’s Arnold Hutchinson, the colt by Collessie Monarch was bred by Ronnie Black of Collessie Clydesdales in Fife. His dam Collessie Selena Anne (by Collessie Challanger) is said to be the first Clydesdale bred by embryo transfer in Scotland.

The Taggart family from Armoy picked up a lot of prizes with their Ballaney Captain Dynamite (Eckechraggan Ernest – Ballaney Lucky Diamond, by Carnaff Ambassador) as he won his junior colt foal class, was reserve foal champion, best home-bred foal and best Irish-bred foal.

The well-supported young handlers’ class (11 entries) was won by Finn Todd (Downhill Clydesdales). Jessica Hanna (Macfin) finished second ahead of Matthew Patton (Masteragwee). Ruby Blackwood qualified for the Clydesdale Horse Society young handlers’ championship at the Royal Highland Show in June.