AN excellent weekend for the Brian Murphy yard at last weekend’s Tattersalls Ireland July Show was capped on Sunday, as the showing fraternity briefly moved up to the Main Arena.

There he won the Everything IT Computer Systems hunter championship for the Jimmy Ryan trophy on Debbie Harrod’s Dublin-bound seven-year-old heavyweight Arkan gelding BBK Flynn, who was bred in Co Down by David Mulholland out of BBK Sumaya (by Ballynolin Dudley).

Selected as reserve by hard-working judges Louise Daly (ride) and Philippa Moon (conformation) was the lightweight class winner Drumlane Kate, a five-year-old Je t’Aime Flamenco mare, who was bred out of Drumlane Rose (by Cavaliere) by her owner David Sloan, a loyal supporter of rider Rachel Moore Rooney.

The middleweight class was won by Mairead English’s six-year-old Killinick Bouncer gelding Dash Bouncer. Second here under his owner Orla Maguire was the Murphy-produced six-year-old Coolkeeran gelding Tumble The Wildcat, a combination who, on Saturday, having won their middle/heavyweight class, were crowned TRM Ireland amateur ridden hunter champions.

The class judging for Sunday’s hunter championship took place in Ring 1, where Joanne Quirke was delighted to be presented with a necklace by Tattersalls/Tattersalls Ireland chairman Edmond Mahony, whose family sponsor the ladies’ side saddle class for the Fania Mahony trophy. Quirke won this on Helen Cooke’s seven-year-old Kiltealy Silver gelding Kiltealy Grey, who she has qualified for the equivalent class at Dublin.

The large expanse of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association-sponsored Ring 1 was definitely required on Saturday for the numbers who contested the TRM Ireland small hunter class, which was won by one of the many late entries, Grace Maxwell Murphy’s four-year-old Castlegar Coolough gelding Gleann Rua Friend.

Topping the final line-up in the following mares’ class was another Brian Murphy-produced exhibit, Saoise Hartley’s Ballinclare Silver Lady. On Sunday, Murphy partnered this five-year-old Shanaghan Hill grey to victory in the Irish Draught Horse Breeders’ Association Wexford Branch South East Ridden Irish Draught Championship, which attracted entries from qualifiers all around the country.

Ballinclare Silver Lady, who is out of the Welcome Diamond mare Anrinnin Silver Lady, was bred in Co Cork by Thomas Herlihy, who could look forward to receiving a €500 breeder’s prize for this championship success. Like the winner, the horses who finished second (Shanbally Pippalo Pat), third (Chapel Hill Rose) and fourth (A Heros Welcome) were also placed in other sections of the show and all likewise being aimed at Dublin, as is the fifth-placed Tallyho McMuire.

According to the series’ organiser, Michael Murphy, the judges were very impressed with the standard of the horses forward and their turn-out. Byrne Trailers sponsored the turn-out award, which was won by another Brian Murphy-produced entry, Amanda Benson’s 13-year-old Luke Skywalker gelding Ballingeary Buster.