DUBLIN qualifiers were one of the main magnets at Athlone Show last Sunday when the next batch of places were claimed by exhibitors.

Renowned agent Clare Ryan and Maurice Coleman are this year’s Breeders’ Championship judges for the four qualifiers and the midlands show was their second port of call after Lurgan.

From the show jumping section, they sent forward Pat Finn’s Penelope (Jardonnay VDL) and Michael Egan’s Oakfield Sweetheart (Womanizer) from the six entries and, in the eventing qualifier, which attracted nine entries, Hurst Show Team’s LCC Yoko (Iroko) and Martin Murphy’s Castlegate Sweet Emotion (Mermus R).

“Breeding is not easy, it’s tough! You think you’ve got a really good mare and then the foal may not be as good. Today, we’ve seen some really nice ones,” Clare commented, while Maurice felt the standard at Athlone was the best so far.

“We’ve seen some very high-class mares and foals, this is the best class we’ve met. Owners definitely need to travel as there’s always a few more chances,” he added, at this halfway point of the Breeders’ Championship qualifiers with two more opportunities at Charleville and West Clare still to come.

A smart addition to the layout was a dedicated Dublin ring. In the intermediate side-saddle qualifier, Athlone once again proved to be Megan Connell’s lucky hunting ground when she and Toberpatrick Ruby (Rosheen Yeats) topped Suzanne Garrigan and Nicola Everard’s line-up. Jessica O’Brien with Alan McNulty’s Hollyhock Island Queen (Scrapman) and Stephanie Moore’s Dynamite Replay, also qualified.

It was a Tinahely one-two in the ladies’ side-saddle qualifier, as Tara Kinsella’s Killaloe Lance (Lancelot) and Mary Rothwell’s Greenhall Stroll In The Park (Millhollow Stroller), plus Lyndsey O’Brien’s Mr Bloomfield (Gortfree Hero), all secured their Dublin places.

Sarah Phelan’s ‘gift horse’ Commanding Robin (Robin de Champs) topped an excellent entry in the racehorse to riding horse section. An equine nanny to her other stock, she was encouraged by friends to start showing him, which paid off last Sunday.

Clifden Sales buy Tycooley Thunder Duke soon repaid Sabrina McClumpha’s purchase with the Athlone supreme pony title \ Susan Finnerty

Model County

Another ring re-jig is on the cards for 2026, as massive working hunter entries meant a marathon day for judges, stewards and exhibitors alike. It paid off on Sunday night for Jane Darragh and Joan Mahon’s working hunter champion – Lindsay Casserly’s Moystown St Ghyvaan (Shannondale Sarco) – as the 10-year-old was also the eventual supreme champion horse of the show.

Leila Oakman’s all-round maestro Its Miller Time (Prince of Thieves) was reserve.

Earlier in the day, PJ Casey was back on track in the show hunter championship as his Raglan Road, aimed at the Dublin heavyweights, was Michael Harty and Conor Higgins’ champion choice. Bred in New Ross by Larry Hanrahan, the HHS Cornet gelding was third in the All-Ireland final at Bannow & Rathangan for then-owners John and Julia Crosbie, who then gave him a year off to mature before his sale.

“It was a pleasure to judge some strongly-supported classes today. The ridden champion is a horse that certainly fills the eye and a rare type to find,” Higgins remarked.

Another Wexford-bred champion at Athlone was Dessie Gibson’s young horse champion Ireland’s Call (Dignified van’t Zorgvliet), bred by Joe Walsh.The two-year-old was reserve champion at Balmoral last month to Tiernan Gill’s Flogas Syb, whose owner is back home in Ballina after a recent hospital stay. Martin Murphy’s CG The Sweetest Thing (Hardrock VDL) was Rebecca Monahan and David Kirkpatrick’s reserve champion.

The same judges had Paddy Flood’s Caspar 232 colt as their foal champion, with Edel Burke Curtin’s Centennial filly as reserve.

Mike Keane with the Athlone Connemara champion Rosedale Harlow \ Susan Finnerty

Going native

In the adjoining native breeds ring, Laura Haslett and Liam Cotter’s first champion of the day was in the Connemara section. Mike Keane, who returned to live in Loughrea after years working in Montana’s ‘Yellowstone country’, owned the champion; Rosedale Harlow, a Manor Marble yearling filly.

Declan Ferguson’s Inisfree The Holy Grail filly was the Irish Draught champion foal, while Amy Bohan’s Whitfield Gabby (Carrickcottage Star) won the Irish Draught mare title.

Coincidentally, Rosedale Harlow’s breeder Alaoise Halpin Coen had jam-packed entries in the family pony section, which is always good to see.

The supreme champion pony title went to equine dental technician Sabrina McClumpha’s Tycooly Thunder Duke. “He’s a four-year-old by Manor Duke and we bought him from Clifden Sales in April. This was only his second show and he took it all in his stride,” she said.

Earlier in the day, the mannerly grey was Edwina O’Connor’s ridden Connemara champion and another Connemara – Leila Oakman’s Cornfield Fusion (Bunowen Paddy) – was the ridden pony champion.

The show hunter tricolour went to Hazel Brennan’s Better Than A Boyfriend. His amusing name caused much mirth each time it was announced over the public address system.

“Hazel is nine years old and a member of the Westmeath Pony Club. She’s riding since she could walk. She won her first ridden class, went show hunter pony champion – her first time to go champion! And then went reserve supreme pony. It was a truly memorable day. She was riding her 21-year-old pony Better Than A Boyfriend, who really does live up to his name and supported by her dad Ger on Father’s Day,” said proud mother Claire.

Hazel Brennan’s big day with Better Than A Boyfriend but not as good as dad Ger \ Susan Finnerty

It was a busy Father’s Day again for show chairman PJ whose family – wife Majella, son Lorcan, daughter Melissa (the equine section secretary) – and even new son-in-law Colm Murray were flat-out all day.

A testing day too when a bull from the cattle section went on the loose early in the morning before his recapture, but that is the nature of agricultural shows. The buzz of Athlone’s busy rings, atmosphere and background musical entertainment gave owners planning on introducing horses to the bigger world, often before Dublin, their wish.

Another wish, however is an improvement regarding the issue of late entries and entries on the day. Depending on the volume, late and non-catalogued entries always adds to the workload of those in the secretary’s tent and ring stewards.

On a brighter note – and it certainly was bright at Athlone once the sun broke through – ‘Super steward’ Brian Egan came in for collective praise for another stellar day, while the personal highlight was the craic in the family pony lead rein class amongst delightful ‘Thelwells’ and jockeys fuelled on Ribena, Mikado biscuits and yes, that by now-famous packet of crisps.