THERE were far fewer Irish exhibitors than usual at last week’s Royal Highland Show outside Edinburgh and, as a result, far fewer winners from this side of the water. There were a good number of Irish judges among the cattle and sheep sections of the show, but the only ones in the horse and pony divisions were Co Antrim’s William Hall (in-hand Clydesdales), Co Tipperary’s Derek Bailey (Sanderson trophy), Co Antrim’s Tony Bell (miniature Shetlands), plus north Co Dublin’s Kieran and Mairead Ryan (working hunter ponies).

There were no Irish exhibits in Thursday’s hunters in-hand classes, but the championship was won by the broodmare class winner, Billy Moran’s 12-year-old Irish Draught grey Corkeeran Willow (Darragh Moylough Vision - Corkeeran Jewel, by Mount Diamond Flag), who was bred in Co Monaghan by the late Edward Persee.

Jodie Creighton finished fifth in the Horse of the Year Show working hunter qualifier on Shane Doyle’s Doyle’s Romeo. In the hunters under saddle section, there were no Irish exhibits in the small hunter class, where the winner was the 2022 Dublin champion Randalstown Lord Sugar who, now a 10-year-old, went ridden hunter champion.

Jamie Smyth finished third in the middleweight class on last month’s Balmoral champion, Hilary Gibson’s Mr Venture Elm, a six-year-old grey Irish Sport Horse gelding by Newmarket Venture (on their return to Ireland, this combination won the supreme hunter championship at last weekend’s Enniskillen Show). Smith also placed third in the day’s maxi cob class on board Gibson’s seven-year-old ISH gelding Highview Forthriver (by King Alton).

The winner of the Tattersalls RoR thoroughbred ridden show horse championship was the eight-year-old gelding Scots Gold (Dark Angel - Duchess Of Andorra, by Duke Of Marmalade), who was placed three times over hurdles, last running at Christmas 2023. The grey, who is now ridden and produced by Jacqeuline Williamson for Diane Wilson, was bred in Co Waterford by Michael Ryan.

The highest-placed veteran award went to the Alistair Pim-bred 15-year-old gelding Cracking Find (Robin Des Pres - Crack The Kicker, by Anshan), who won a point-to-point, two hurdle races and six chases during his racing career.

Riding for her mother Lorraine, Jocelyn Hutchinson finished third in the ridden Welsh Section C four-year-olds and upwards class on Hebwyn Little King, a six-year-old gelding by Llanmorlais Reagan. Many Irish-bred exhibits won or were placed in the in-hand or ridden Mountain and Moorland sections.

The best result for Irish exhibitors at the show came in Saturday’s pony classes and, in particular, the working hunter pony section where Aoibhinn Ruane won the Intermediate class and then went reserve champion on Birol Nadir’s Zavy Echo (Zavatar F - Taylor Echo, by Clover Echo).

In his class, the 11-year-old Isabel Burke-bred ISH gelding finished ahead of the Emily Jayne McPolin-ridden Thornleigh Sir Robin (fifth), the Jodie Creighton-partnered Ballykealy Bobby (seventh) and the Lily Nadir-ridden Country Strong (eighth). Ruane and Zavy Echo have again qualified for the workers in Dublin.

There were placings also for Lucy Donnan (153cm), for Clara Cully, Evie Kennedy and Holly Logan (143cm) and for Tristan Kelly (133cm).

Side saddle

In Saturday’s side saddle classes, the aforementioned Clara Cully finished third in the Junior equitation qualifier with the 14-year-old Connemara gelding PIO (Celtic Moy Sailor - Joan, by Granahan Champ), who is owned by her parents, Maurice and Buddy.

Among the young riders placed in the show hunter pony classes were Jocelyn Hutchinson (153cm and 143cm), Lauren O’Rourke, Ollie Gordon and Fionn Redmond (133cm) plus O’Rourke again and Myia Latto (123cm). Latto was also placed in the show pony section (128cm class), as was Amira Curran (148cm).

On Sunday, the final day of the show, there was a second-place finish in the ridden Dales pony of the year qualifier for the Charlotte Smiley-partnered Copleylane Ringo, a 19-year-old gelding by Lowside Noble John, who has been to HOYS on multiple occasions.

Also in the Mountain & Moorland section, the ridden Connemara of the year qualifier was won for the second year running on his seasonal debut by the Henry O’Toole-bred Castle Neptune (Glencarrig Knight - Castle Melody, by I Love You Melody), a 13-year-old grey ridden and produced in Britain by Lesley Parker.

Here, Smiley finished eighth on last season’s Dublin ridden champion Eastlands Jollybrae, the now six-year-old Scottish-bred gelding by Eastlands Harleybrae, who she has again qualified for the RDS in August.

Even in the Clydesdale section of the show, there was a poor representation of Irish exhibitors.

In the in-hand classes, there was a third-place finish in the three-year-old yeld mare or filly class for Boat Clydesdales’ home-bred Boat Lady Georgina (Dillars Ollie - West Glen Rambling Rose, by Dillars Boat Commander) and a seventh-place finish in the two-year-old fillies’ class for Geoffrey and Lesley Tanner’s Cloghan Maisie (Doura Aird Ambition - Cloghan Jodie, by Great American Ben Franklin). Bred in Limavady by George and Elizabeth Smyth, this bay stood champion at the Co Londonderry Horse Breeding Society’s Clydesdale foal show in Ballymena before Christmas.

In the heavy horse turnout section, the Scotts from Limavady finished second in the single horse class, fifth in the teams of four and fourth in the teams of six with their Glebeview Clydesdales.