CHRIS Carter didn’t just fill the role of Chairman at last weekend’s AIRC Festival in Mullingar, but as a member, and chairman, of the Tara Hill club he also competed in the showing section with two horses, Cloonan Hector and Bohermeen Pure Quality.

The 14-year-old Irish Draught gelding Cloonan Hector (Clew Bay Bouncer - Warren Wendy, by Crannagh Hero) got the ball rolling for Carter by winning the opening RC80 Open performance hunter class in the International grass arena. Other winners here were Castledermot’s Caprice Tracey on Diamond Clover Maxine (RC70), Nuenna Farm’s Jillian Maher with Peach Snaps (RC70 Open), Westport’s Sofie Gundersen on CLH Sugar and Spice (RC90 Open) and Annaharvey’s Catherine Stanton on Annaharvey Chilli Pepper (RC100 Open).

It was next on to Ring 2, where Carter won the TopSpec over 158cm riding horse class on the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Bohermeen Pure Quality (Munther - Floating Valley, by Brookfield Floating Lux).

While they had to settle for reserve in the section championship behind the up to 158cm class winners, Lismore’s Eimear McDonnell and the 13-year-old Letter Land gelding Bishops Magic, when it came to the ring championship, it was Carter and the Declan Daly-bred bay who stood reserve to the cob champion, the Katy Roarke-ridden Kilbegley Lad.

Carter also contested the Derryglen Stud hunter classes in Ring 3. Here, he and the Tom Fitzgerald-bred Cloonan Hector won their heavyweight class and then went champion.

The reserve was the mediumweight class winner Tallyho McGuire (Kiltybane Naldo - Anamar Girl, by Gurraun Golden Eye), an eight-year-old chesnut ID gelding ridden by Cill Dara’s Fionnuala Lennon. Others to carry red rosettes into the championship were Westport’s Lauren Kerins with her lightweight winner, Aughnanure Avici, a five-year-old ISH gelding by Acorad 3, and Mosstown’s Teresa Whyte with the home-bred ISH mare Sleehaun Showtime, a five-year-old daughter of Watervalley Cool Diamond, who has qualified for the working hunter classes at Dublin.

Workers’ win

Carter’s Saturday ended as it had begun on Cloonan Hector in the Carl Geisler memorial championship but, again, he had to settle for reserve behind Katy Roarke and Kilbegley Lad.

On Sunday, Carter contested both the working hunter and ridden breed classes on Cloonan Hector (pictured page 101), winning the TRM Irish Draught workers’ class in the International grass arena ahead of another well-known combination in this sphere, Drynam’s Jill Brown and her 10-year-old gelding A Heros Welcome (Gortfree Hero - Tawney Lady, by Cream Of Diamonds).

In the same order, they were to stand champion and reserve in this section of the show, where the other winners were Drynam’s Cathy Sayers and Alderbrook Maxima (Horse Sport Ireland TIH RC80), Mosstown’s Tara Esler with Coolin Lady (TRM TIH RC90), Rathangan’s Carolina Von Ow on Sky 22 (TRM Connemaras) and Oakleaf’s Stephanie McGlynn with Mickah Wallace (thoroughbreds).

In the breed classes on the level, Carter and Cloonan Hector had to settle for fourth in the Horse Sport Ireland ID class, won by the aforementioned Fionnuala Lennon and Tallyho McGuire.

Although no longer title sponsor of the showing section, Horse Sport Ireland also sponsored the thoroughbred class, won by Rathangan’s Miia Ruuskanen on Bobby Cool, and the Connemara class, won by Kilronan’s Emma Schaefer on Corner House Rebel. Oakleaf’s Fiona Furey also progressed to the championship, having won the traditional Irish cob class on Cairnview Goldmoon.

It wasn’t a huge surprise to see Lennon win the title on Tallyho McGuire, but for their reserve, the judges chose the second-placed combination in the Connemara class, Benbulben’s Becky Tiernan and her five-year-old mare Kingsland Lollipop (Tullyboy Storm - Meelickisland Shannon River, by Straboe Prince).