WHILE heavy downpours wrecked havoc on racing and equestrian activities in the east and north of the country last Saturday, in Scarteen things brightened up considerably following one heavy shower in the morning as the Ryan family hosted the second of this year’s RDS performance Irish Draught qualifiers.

Co Mayo physiotherapist Hannah Gordon recorded such a comprehensive success on DS Ballagh Bouncer in Section A of the six-year-old upwards qualifier (241 points to 214.5) that she and Liam Lynskey’s well-known grey stallion by Moylough Bouncer were the only combination to qualify from the 12 starters/seven finishers.

Bred in Co Roscommon by Brendan Duffy out of a Mount Diamond Flag mare, the 13-year-old DS Ballagh Bouncer, who has 146 Showjumping Ireland points to his credit, just won the flat and conformation phases by a point but, while recording the only clear round, he was also awarded the only full 10-point score for rhythm and fluency.

“Ballagh, who finished third in this class last year at Dublin, will go show jumping and doing dressage between now and the Horse Show,” said Gordon of the winner, who had the rest of the weekend off unlike the rider who also qualified a flat Connemara at Scarteen then headed down south where, on Sunday, she judged the ridden hunters at Cork Summer Show. Gordon actually had a third winner on Sunday as her home-bred Irish Sports Pony stallion Nokio (by Hans) won the 148cm 1.20m class at Glenamaddy where he was partnered by Cathal McKeon-Devaney.

Also bagging qualifying tickets for Dublin were the Tim McDonagh-ridden geldings Hollypark Finn, a six-year-old by Castlegar Cool Mist, and Hollypark Cass, a five-year-old son of Casanova, both of whom will be making return trips to Dublin in August.

The former, who won Section B of the older horses’ class on a score of 236.5 points and was fourth at the RDS last August, was bred in Co Galway by Tom Burke out of The Welcome Flagmount mare Castlegar Katie. Here, the Grace Kavanagh-partnered Mountain Emerald, a 14-year-ol Mountain Pearl gelding, finished second, and qualified, on 231.

Mountbatten

On a score of 236 points, Dominic Furnell partnered his own Mountbatten to victory in Section A of the four and five-year-old class where Caroline Lynch finished joint-second with Robert McHugh’s five-year-old Moylough Legacy mare Hio Easter Rose (235). Diarmuid Ryan completed on the same score with Dermott Molloy’s previously qualified Two Mile Nigel.

Mountbatten, a five-year-old gelding by Young Carrabawn, was bred in Co Clare by Kevin Bermingham out of the Welcome Diamond mare Grey Steele.

Neasa Haverty won Section B of the four and five-year-old class with the previously-qualified 2020 Lansdown gelding Assagart Vacation. The judges on Saturday were Patricia Lalor (jump) plus Una O’Donnell and Paula Geiger (flatwork and conformation).