THE highlight of the horse showing programme at last week’s Royal Windsor Horse Show from an Irish breeding perspective was the win in Friday morning’s hunter championship in the Castle Arena of Mulberry Lane II.
Ridden and produced by Craig Kiddier for Susan Tenant and winner earlier in the day of his middleweight class, the versatile 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding was adding to a lengthy list of titles he has accumulated in ridden and working hunter championships at major shows throughout Britain. He also show jumps at 1.30m level and hunts during the winter.
By OBOS Quality 004, Mulberry Lane is the second of nine progeny listed on the Irish Horse Register out of Lisnaree (by Hermes de Reve), whose owner, Co Down’s Brian Clinghan, gave us a rundown on what else he has bred out of the now 20-year-old mare.
“Mulberry Lane’s two-year-older full-sister Lisnaffy events in Denmark and Lisnaward (a 2018 mare by Guinness) is a second season eventer in England with Ellie Clarke. I still have the Cormint mare Lisnastrean, who was third in the five-year-old Stepping Stones final last month, and Lisnadil, a filly by Zapatero, who will do the three-year-old loose jumping qualifiers for Dublin. We also have a two-year-old Cormint filly and a colt foal by Zapatero.”
Standing reserve under Jayne Ross was the Thomas Minogue-bred lightweight class winner Harbour Master (Harlequin du Carel - My Lady Cougar, by Cougar), a 10-year-old ISH gelding who, later in the day, won the ladies’ hunter class under his owner, Charlotte Clark. There, he finished in front of the Sinead Brennan-bred 11-year-old ISH gelding MHS Morning Master (Quidam Junior I - MHS Cavaliers Daughter, by Cavalier Royale).
Heavyweight
Another horse of Irish interest through to the championship judging was the Robert Walker-ridden heavyweight class winner IJ Countryman (Lionwood Kinsales Lad - Clonhaston Lilly, by Kings Master), who was bred by Kieran Ryan.
That seven-year-old ISH gelding is produced by Walker for Jill Day, a combination who won the novice hunter championship with the five-year-old ISH gelding Ground Control I (Lagans OBOS Quality - Stacey Pete, by Barely A Moment). The lightweight bay was bred in Co Clare by John O’Brien.
Walker and Ross finished first and second respectively in the novice heavyweight class with the six-year-olds BC Fox Rock (J. Reach For The Stars - Powerpoint, by Superior Premium), an ISH gelding who was bred in Co Wexford by Bryan Maguire, and Greenhall Will I Ever (Castle Crest - Walnut Chase, by Huntingfield Proud Tim), an Irish Draught gelding bred in Co Wicklow by Mary Rothwell.
The top six in the small hunter class were all bred in Ireland, the final line-up being headed by the Will Morton-partnered Red Valentine II (Knockbrack Cody) (Lagans OBOS Quality – Knockbrack Spirit, by Mountain Diamond), a six-year-old ISH gelding bred by Maurice O’Mara. Here, Jayne Ross had to settle for second with Jamie Smyth and Ryan Anderson’s seven-year-old ISH gelding Highview Overado (Cavalier Land - Redinagh Black Jack, by Jack Of Diamonds).
On Friday, Hannah Horton landed the lightweight class en route to claiming the working hunter championship on her own now 18-year-old ISH gelding Its Lush (Ars Vivendi - Ordell, by Touchdown), who was bred by the Campbell family in Co Armagh. Alice Homer got through to the championship judging, having finished second in the heavyweight class with the 12-year-old Paul Flanagan-bred ISH gelding Golden Glove (Harlequin du Carel - Tamerarra, by Cruising).