IT was a battle royale in Mullingar last Wednesday at the last RDS young horse jumping qualifier for the nine remaining places in this year’s seven and eight-year-old division at the Dublin Horse Show 2025.

Some 83 combinations started over Tom Holden’s 1.40m track; 28 of them produced a clear first round to earn a place in the jump-off.

Ten managed a second-round fault-free, while a further 10 had just a single fence down. The fastest of these was Max Foley riding the Bravo Hughes Ltd-owned and bred seven-year-old gelding HHS Arezzo. By Luidam out of HHS Chantilly Lace (Cavalier Royale), he was guided to the win in a time of 33.72.

Ballypatrick’s ever-consistent Niamh McEvoy took the runner-up spot riding Andrew Thompson’s Belgian-bred Cold Play S Z (Casallo Z x Chin Chin). They stopped the clock at 33.92. McEvoy also took third place, this time aboard Ronan Rothwell’s home-bred Boleybawn Alvaro (Dominator Z x Crown Z) in 34.48.

Aiden McGrory’s mare Leestone Stockholm (Emerald Van’T Ruytershof x Heartbreaker), bred by John McKibbin, was ridden into fourth by Daren Hopkins in 34.61. Conor McMahon and his own Billy Raindrop (Plot Blue x Cevin Z) got their golden ticket when slotting into fifth place in 35.31.

The remaining places were filled by Sandra Lennon’s CMG Winchester (Kannan x Lux Z) and Alex Finney; Cathal Daniels’ with his own Ardragh Lucky Lass (Sligo Candy Boy x Guidam); Tim Brennan’s Belgian-bred gelding Augustus Z, ridden by his son Eoin; and Darragh Ryan with his own Lady Blue Du Pont Letot. In 10th and qualifying due to an already previously qualified combination was Katie Nallon with MVS Celtic Emperor.