THE busy Louise Lyons had plenty to celebrate on Saturday, but here we are solely going to concentrate on her win in Section A of the six-year-old and upwards performance Irish Draught class on Lady Perdita Blackwood’s Clandeboye.
The Co Kilkenny horsewoman and the eight-year-old Scrapman grey, who was bred in Co Down by Miriam Burney out of the Western Light mare Libertias Trueblue, were the one pairing in the 15-runner class to leave all the fences intact, although they lost a mark in this phase when narrowly beaten for time.
The grey completed on 240 points, which resulted in young Co Wexford rider Michael Bowe again missing out on a ticket although finishing second with his father JJ’s Patrickswell Sherry (232), an eight-year-old gelded son of The Bachelor, who won the final of this class in Dublin in 2024 when Correna Bowe was in the saddle.
Lyons was among those who competed in both the Irish Draught and Connemara classes on Saturday, but we doubt if any others then had to rush off to the Lyons of Limerick Defender/Irish Pony Club national minimus championships in Clonshire.
She wasn’t competing there of course, but had enough to do in the roles of anxious mother and eventing coach to the successful North Kilkenny Hunt Branch.
Added success
Milchem Equestrian-based Scottish international event rider Becky Scott added to her success in the Connemara performance hunter qualifier here on Saturday by winning Section B of this Irish Draught class with Sean Barker’s well-known home-bred stallion, Gortfree Lakeside Lad (Gortfree Hero - Springvale Rose, by Ginger Dick).
The 14-year-old grey, who is a multiple Dublin champion, mainly as a performance Irish Draught but also as a working hunter, recorded one of three clear rounds in the 14-runner class on his way to a winning total of 237.
The busy Diarmuid Ryan claimed the second ticket on Rob McHugh’s clear jumping six-year-old Moylough Legacy mare, Hio Easter Rose (232.5). Although they jumped clear and were only narrowly beaten, Duncan McFadyen and Tom Moran’s Gortfree Hero mare failed to qualify on a score of 232.
If he hadn’t filled his quota already, Ryan would also have partnered the Michael Healy-bred Derreen Heigh Ho (Heigh Ho Dubh - Tanas Queen, by Castana) in Section B of the four and five-year-old class. As it was, owner Dermot Molly came for the ride on the five-year-old, who recorded the only clear round on his way to a total of 231 and, with his considerable margin of victory, claimed the only ticket on offer in the 15-runner class.
Two mares
The other two tickets went to two mares who couldn’t be split in Section A, having both completed on 220 marks, the Sophie Mullane-owned and ridden Gortfadda Coolronan Lady and My Highfield Starlet, who was ridden by Christopher Whyte for PJ Sheerin.
The five-year-old roan Gortfadda Coolcronan Lady (Inisfree The Iron Cross - Gortfadda Ruby Kingdom, by Coolcronan Wood) was bred in Co Leitrim by Padraig Bohan, while Hynes and Connern bred the year younger My Highfield Starlet (Heigh Ho Dubh - Ardglen Star Lady, by Cloneigh Dancer). There were no clear rounds in that 16-runner class.
With 11 classes on the day, the organisers were kept busy and, as at the young event horse/working hunter qualifier here at Scarteen the previous Tuesday, they were very grateful for all the assistance they received from Jamie Crowe. The 14-year-old is seemingly tireless.