IT would appear that the topic of conversation in the village of Lagan in Co Longford is the upcoming Gallagher Dublin Horse Show, as the number of horses qualified in the area grew to six on Saturday at Rincoola, where Ciara Dennigan won Section B of the six-year-old and upwards performance Irish Draught class on CCS Anna Livia.

Produced by Dennigan and her mother Susan McDonald at their Kinard Stables for Co Kilkenny owner Hilda Anthony, the Michael Scott-bred six-year-old mare, who completed on a score of 235 marks, is by Carrickrock Close Shave out of the Rockrimmon Silver Diamond mare Corcullen Classic Diamond.

Dennigan has also qualified Paulank Miracle Road for the Traditional Irish Horse working hunter class, where she will compete against her neighbour Edel Whyte. The latter’s father Gerry has one animal qualified for the three-year-old potential event horse class, where other neighbours, the O’Neill brothers, have two.

On Saturday, Dennigan and CCS Anna Livia completed on a score of 235 marks, which gave them a one-mark advantage over the previously qualified combination of Edwina O’Connor and her own Keamore Diamond Clover gelding Ashwood Reggie. The second ticket therefore went to the third-place (228.5) pairing of Dominic Furnell and Denis McGrath’s seven-year-old home-bred mare Clogherboy Bonnie (The Bachelor - Bonnie Lady, by Gleneven Rebel).

The other three classes on Saturday were won by horses produced west of the Shannon.

In Section A of that older qualifier, Becky Scott recorded a clear-cut win on 237 marks to claim the only ticket on offer with Ria O’Callaghan’s Glenford Margie (Goldsmithcountry Oliver - Auntie Ger, by Drumri), on whom she finished fifth in Dublin last August. The six-year-old chesnut mare was bred in Co Galway by Padraig Naughton.

The Craughwell-based father and daughter team of Tom and Maria McNamara had early starts over the weekend, but they paid off with wins at both Rincoola on Saturday and at Stradbally on Sunday (covered on pages 80 and 87 respectively).

Here, we are concerned with the McNamaras’ win in Section A of the four and five-year-old class with Shanbally Nightcap (Cappa Aristocrat - Moyglass Blackie, by Coille Mor Hill), who was bred in Co Galway by James Gunning. The five-year-old, who bagged the only ticket on offer in this class, is also qualified for the ladies’ side saddle class and the older middle/heavyweight working hunter class at Dublin, where he will be entered in the five-year-old middleweight hunter class.

The McNamaras’ previously-qualified Shanbally Class Act finished second (225.5) in Section B, behind the Duncan McFadyen-ridden Marmaduke (Gortfree Curious George - Cloonlagheen True Heart, by Gortfree Hero). Jenny Jakeman’s four-year-old chesnut gelding, who completed on 228 marks, was bred in Co Mayo by Zoe Gallagher.

Well-known on the hunting field, Tatianna Ormiston was awarded the second ticket on offer, when finishing third (225) with the four-year-old home-bred gelding Cherrymount Star Boy (Castle Crest - Cherrymount Ri, by Drumri).