THE final qualifiers for the side saddle classes at next month’s Gallagher Dublin Horse Show were held last Saturday morning at Newbridge House where, in Ring 1, they got the showing action underway at the Flavours of Fingal County Show.

There was an excellent entry in the Offr-sponsored ladies’ class, where judges Jennifer Byrne (ride) and Suzanne Garrigan (conformation) were under pressure, as they were going to make three riders very happy and, as is ever the case, a lot more not so pleased.

Their winner, for the second year in succession, was the Fionnuala Lennon-owned, Hazel Valentine-ridden Tallyho McGuire (Kiltybane Naldo - Anamar Girl, by Gurraun Golden Eye), who was bred in Co Down by Patrick Rice and who finished fifth at the RDS last August.

“Flavours has been a lucky show for us, as we also qualified there in 2024,” commented Lennon. “Tallyho McGuire is a full Irish Draught and I do most things with him - hunt, show jump, cross-country and working hunters - while Hazel rides him side saddle and hunts him that way, if he’s free.

“He and I had a very successful two days at the AIRC Riding Clubs’ Festival in Mullingar, where (representing Cill Dara) we ended up winning the ridden breed championship for the Eddie Fowler memorial trophy. He heads to the Irish Draught Horse Breeders’ Association national show at Punchestown on Saturday (today) and then on to Dublin.”

Having finished second, Tara Kinsella has once again qualified for Dublin with Tim and Marie Collins’s ISH gelding Killaloe Lance, a 13-year-old chesnut son of Lancelot out of an Ard VDL Douglas mare. The ever-smiling Mary Rothwell bagged the third and final ticket on her nine-year-old Millhollow Stroller gelding Greenhall Stroll In The Park, with whom she won the Sportsman championship at Dublin in 2024.

Kieran and Mairead Ryan withdrew their previously-qualified Cnoc Rua Osprey (Becky Rafter) once the ride judge had dismounted.

While there wasn’t a huge entry for the Intermediate side saddle qualifier, it was very varied. Here, Leonie O’Gorman bagged the first of the golden tickets on her Colin Finn-bred 10-year-old ISH mare Emmas Blue Ruby (KEC Bluejay Diamond - Menlo Ruby, by Coill Rua Champ) who, too, competed successfully at the AIRC Festival for Mullaghmore.

Aoibhinn Ruane added to her list of rides at the Gallagher Dublin Horse Show, when finishing second on her mother Helena’s Birchill Pianoman, a 13-year-old ISH gelding by Atlantic Cruise, while a delighted Lucinda Kelly qualified in third on her mother Avril’s Connemara mare Kinamara Laura, a dun daughter of Cashelbay Chip.