PAULINE Dahill’s journey north from Co Waterford paid dividends last Saturday as she bagged two qualifying tickets for the five to seven-year-old Connemara performance hunter championship at the Dublin Horse Show, winning on one of the two ponies and placing second on the other.

Dahill’s winner at the Stevenson family’s Co Antrim venue Tullylish was actually a joint-winner as, on 240.5 points, she and William Griffin’s 2020 Ross Fear Bui gelding Hogan’s Charm had to share the honours in Section A with the busy Ciara O’Connor on board Fiona Gahan’s Firbolg Dun, a six-year-old Kippure Columbus gelding.

Hogan’s Charm, who was bred in Co Mayo by Thomas McCann, is out of the Mac Owen mare Mulbrook Lass while the Dermot Connolly-bred Firbolg Dun is out of the Ross Fear Bui mare Colleen Ór Buí.

In Section B, Dahill had to settle for second, but still secured a qualifying ticket, when completing on 239.5 points with Sarah and Sonia McGuire’s six-year-old Lightening Star mare, Star In The Night. The win went to another six-year-old by the same sire, Derrylackey Playboy, who was ridden by Lesley Jones for Killinchy’s Emily McGowan.

The successful bay, who was bred in Co Kilkenny by Mary Dermody out of Derrylackey May (by Monaaghanstown Barney), also qualified here last year for Dublin but on the flat, finishing fourth at the Ballsbridge showgrounds in August.

Highest score

The day’s overall highest winning score, 241.5, was recorded in Section B of the eight to 15-year-old Connemara performance hunter qualifier by Western Ocala who recorded one of only three clear rounds in the 15-runner class.

Charlotte Keers’ 13-year-old Creemully Western Melody gelding, who was bred in Co Galway by Mary Mitchell out of Western Princess (by Smokey Duncan), was ridden by Megan Houston as he was when qualifying here 12 months ago. Eileen Kilbane bagged the second ticket on her own nine-year-old Coosheen Stormboy gelding Roisin Star (238).

Graiguenamanagh’s Diarmuid Ryan had a very rewarding day at this RDS qualifier in Tullylish as he claimed two golden tickets in the Irish Draught performance division and one in Section A of the older Connemara qualifier on board Naomi Murphy’s Clifden Silver gelding Pem Boy (237.5).

The Michael Moran-bred nine-year-old, who also qualified here last June under Debbie Flavin, is out of Rathcoona Cove mare Ballinvoher Lady. Rose Fitzgerald’s year-younger Kingstown Setanta mare Corabbey Wild Poppy (235.5) took the second ticket in the hands of Anna Dangerfield.