SPLITTING the Dublin potential event horse three-year-old qualifier from recent show days paid off for the Newcastle West Show team. A similarly wise move this year was to transfer the competition to Clonshire Equestrian Centre.

This class, the first of its kind, was previously held at the Leonard family farm in Ballynoe, from where one of the top points earners in US eventing history - Ballynoecastle RM - was sourced. What may have been lost in history was made up for by Clonshire’s indoor facilities, as several heavy rainshowers fell during Monday evening’s event.

It was also the last opportunity to qualify for this year’s final, which will be held on the opening day of Horse Show Week (Wednesday, August 5th) and 35 hopefuls travelled to Co Limerick for the two remaining places.

Sian Coleman and Andrew Williams proved to be another excellent choice of judges and, after the scores were totted up by the efficient Sean McAuliffe - yet another of the county’s fount of information on pedigrees and characters - the winners were announced.

It meant a ‘live on air’ speakerphone call to a delighted winning owner, Julie Radden, who was already en route home to Co Wexford, before her early start the next day for the Rincoola young event horse qualifier. “Oh my God, amazing, fantastic!” Julie exclaimed and, for good measure, she also won a €600 Coolballyshan Stud nomination, generously donated by Kieran Kennedy.

Lakelands Gucci is a home-bred by the Cornet Obolensky x OBOS Quality son, HHS Cornet, and out of the Traditional Irish mare Glendale Skylark, by Kaieteur, a thoroughbred stallion with just 10 offspring listed on CapallOir.

“Just in the door, another long day, but sadly none [of mine] qualified in Rincoola,” was her update. “I do have a five-year-old - Tomgar Valour, ridden and co-owned with Patrick Whelan - already qualified though!

“I’m still smiling from last night’s win. He’s a home-bred out of my young mare by Kaieteur out of a Colin Diamond x First Consul dam. ‘Gucci’ was successfully lightly shown last year, I’d hope to compete him in a couple of showing classes this year and then the plan is to attend the event sale selections.

“Thanks for a great evening, lovely to see everyone and it was my first time in Clonshire, a lovely place,” added Julie, who also owns the 2023 Croker Cup champion, Galileo Dance.

The young event horse sales route is one option for Pat Fenelon’s Jacadello x Colin Diamond runner-up, who booked the second ‘Dublin bus ticket’. Bred by Joe Walsh in Blackwater, Pat bought the runner-up in Gorey from David Kearns.

“He goes to Dublin now and then either Go For Gold or Monart or be kept for the long road. One way or the other, it doesn’t matter,” said Pat, a former Carlow team hurler, dairy farmer and busy National Hunt sales consignor. Cheltenham winners Same Difference and Rathvinden were bred or sold from the family’s yard.

Appeal

His unnamed prospect’s Diamond Lad backbreeding was always going to appeal to the Brandon View Stud owner, as he bred the five-star full-brothers: Kilronan (the highest WBFSH-ranked Irish Sport Horse eventer in 2014) and Strike Smartly, by Ghareeb from the Diamond Lad mare Ramble Way.

Pat has phased out breeding sport horses, preferring to buy youngstock instead. “You walk into the field; if you like the horse, you try to buy it. If you don’t, you can walk out!”

“The standard was very good and there were some lovely horses,” said Andrew, who has put the likes of last year’s Pau CCI5* winner Jarillo, Cola and Ballycoog Breaker Boy through his hands. Conformation, good limbs, presence and carefulness were top of his criteria for potential five-star horses.

“Myself and Sian don’t mind a young horse making mistakes, it’s what they do the next time,” adding that they valued quick reflexes more than an extravagant shape over a fence.

“2026 has been very enjoyable for Newcastle West Show committee, preparations went well since our first meeting and the new Bank Holiday Monday date worked out great. Our RDS qualifier loose jumping class on Monday evening at Clonshire’s indoor was a great success too, we had comfort for man, woman and horse. We wish all shows the best for the rest of the season,” Newcastle West Show chairman, Liam Ruttle commented.