DUE to the weather at Barnadown over the weekend and the unfortunate cancellation of one of the eight-year-old qualifiers, the organising committee made the decision to split the seven/eight-year-old class into two separate classes, both sponsored by GBBS and Equine Evolve.

There were 25 combinations that started the seven-year-old final and, like all the other classes, the standard of both horse and rider was so strong that less than a second separated the top three combinations. It was the Ulster Region and another leading young rider, Aidan O’Brien, who took the win, narrowly edging Leinster junior rider, Lauren Adams into second place.

O’Brien was on board Baskin Centerfold, owned by his father, Kieran, a bay mare by Urano De Cartigny. After the win, Kieran spoke to The Irish Field: “Baskin was bred by Bob Sweeney and we bought her as a four-year-old. She has been a very consistent mare all throughout her career to date, she won the four-year-old class at the Northern Ireland Indoor Championships in 2023 and, this year, she has been amazing. She won a seven-year-old qualifier in Bolesworth International show and was sixth in the final, she also won a Boomerang qualifier in Millstreet and was eighth in the final.

“We think she is a very special mare and we will see how she comes home before deciding what is next, but possibly jump at Cavan September show and then back to the Northern Ireland indoor championships.”

Darling

Lauren Adams continued her great show, when less than half a second separated herself in second from O’Brien in first. This time, Lauren partnered her mother Dales’s Coconut BW, a grey mare by Cardento. After the class, Dale told The Irish Field: “Coconut is a darling in every way, a very kind mare. Lauren and myself bought her last year from Ballywater Farms, where she won the Cavan Crystal five-year-old class with Darren Hopkins in 2024. She didn’t jump much after that, so we gave her time and produced her slowly.

“The patience paid off, as she is ready this year to be asked questions against the clock, she is deceptively fast, which was shown when coming sixth in the Boomerang class at Millstreet this year and she also jumped a 1.40m young rider grand prix in France. Lauren and Coconut continue to grow in confidence the more they get to know each other and we are very excited for the future.”

Leading Irish show jumper Jessica Burke completed the podium with Brian McConville’s Rials Varinjo, only 0.6 seconds behind the winner. The combination has been in great form of late - not only qualifying for the RDS at the first qualifier, but also coming sixth in the final of the international seven and eight-year-old class in the main arena in Dublin. Michael Pender was once again in the line-up at the show, this time steering Hans Jurgen Kuehnle’s Tullibards Pandora into fourth place. Junior European Champion Jack Kent with Castlefield Breeding Farm’s Castlefield Cornetto took fifth, with local rider Sophie Richards taking sixth with Kincullia Draco, owned by Maurice Cousins.

Hughes Kennedy pops the cava

Seamus Hughes Kennedy ensured he came away from the 2026 Breeders’ Classic show with a win and in some style, when winning the eight-year-old class on his mother Claire Hughes’ home-bred bay mare Cava. Breaking the finishing beam in 34.98, Hughes Kennedy was almost four seconds ahead of second place.

Hughes Kennedy, speaking about Cava, told The Irish Field: “She is a super horse with a great brain. She is a home-bred horse from a line dating back to my grandfather. Cava’s dam is Cuffesgrange Cavadora, who I was lucky enough to win the seven-year-old world championships in Lanaken with and who played a big part in my transition from ponies into horses. Cava’s granddam was the pony Cuffesgrange Cavalidam, who was very successful with myself, winning a medal at the European pony championships and also winning the World Cup Series before going on to win more European medals with the Wachmans. I’m very excited about the future with Cava and seeing what the future holds.”

Ethan Ahearne teamed up with Micheal Pender when riding Pender’s very promising stallion Madgeslane Luidam into second place, with a super double clear round.

After the class, Michael Pender told The Irish Field: “I am delighted with how Ethan went with the horse, I was busy competing abroad this year, so I asked Ethan to take over the ride while I was away and they look like a very promising partnership. Madgeslane Luidam was busy this season covering and his offspring are already proving themselves, where from his small first crop of offspring, he bred the horse who came third in the four-year-old championship at the Dublin Horse Show this year.

“He is also a full-brother to Madgeslane Louis, who I went clear with in the Rolex Grand Prix in Dublin this year. I am very excited to see Ethan’s partnership grow and also the offspring coming along. Also, I just want to say that the organising committee of the Breeders’ Classic show did a great job all weekend, as the weather conditions put them under big pressure throughout the show.”

Impulse pays off

Patricia Stewart Greer completed the podium when coming third with Gary Stewart’s GSS Impulse.

Patricia told The Irish Field: “I bought Impulse at the Irish Breeders’ Classic foal auction eight years ago from the late great John Mulvey and Kerrie Anderson. An impulse decision, hence the name, but I think it has all paid off when you get a result like today. He has massive scope and I think he is a horse for the big classes in the future, as he is only starting to mature now.

“I never thought I could get him into the final myself, never mind the podium, so I am really delighted for him. It is a great show for showcasing the Irish horses and everyone has done a great job managing the difficult weather conditions, but we have really enjoyed it regardless.”

Another impressive young rider enjoying a great season is Kian Dore, he continued his great form, taking fourth place with Michael O’Sullivan’s WHS King Lincoln. Max O’Reilly Hyland had a fruitful class when riding two of his own horses to complete the line-up when riding Zuper into fifth place and Netflix VK into sixth.