OWNERS, riders and ponies from all around the country descended on Killossery Lodge Stud on Wednesday for the third of the RDS working hunter pony qualifiers but judges David Kirkpatrick and Lucinda Kelly’s winner of the 158cm class was the very locally-based Highview Shakespeare.

Ridden by Kate Horgan for her mother Hannah, the six-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding completed on a total of 94 points with Co Antrim’s Charlotte Harding finishing second on Penny Murphy’s 11-year-old Killinick Bouncer gelding Kontiki (89.8) who is also qualified for the Performance Irish Draught section of the show.

Horgan and Highview Shakespeare will also be in action on day one at the Ballsbridge showgrounds as they have qualified for the Junior/Young Rider event horse final as they did 12 months ago.

The bay son of Lagans OBOS Quality was bred in Co Clare by Vincent Meaney out of the Coevers Diamond Boy mare Moyglass Covers Rosie.

Highview Shakespeare has 16 Showjumping Ireland points to his credit and has competed four times in Eventing Ireland-affiliated company, most recently in a division of the EI110 at Grove last Sunday.

“He had a pole down which dropped us a few places so I didn’t rush him across the country,” said Horgan junior who is studying veterinary nursing at UCD. “He’s only six so I was very happy with him.

“When we first went to see ‘Billy’ I knew from looking at him and from his breeding, that he would do more than workers.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m delighted to have qualified for the workers in Dublin – and I know my mother really is as she has a soft spot for working hunter – but most of my friends from my showing days have moved on so I don’t find showing as enjoyable as I once did; the old group isn’t there.”

Given that she and Highview Shakespeare have evented as a combination, it was surprising to hear 20-year-old Horgan say that she had been worried about Wednesday’s qualifier being held on grass but the judges were obviously impressed with how they coped with the underfoot conditions.

Hannah and the versatile Highview Shakespeare will be heading to Barnadown next Wednesday for the fourth and final qualifier when it is hoped that the rider’s younger sister Phoebe qualifies with Garvagh Moonlight Boy on whom she finished second in the younger Connemara performance hunter final last August.

Both Hannah and Phoebe (18), who has just finished her Leaving Cert exams, are coached by Orla Cassidy.