Margie McLoone

MOIRA’s Lesley-Ann Duke featured on the cover of this pull-out last year on board Brookfields Showdown and she returns to the Royal Dublin Society grounds next week with that large riding horse who finished fifth in her class 12 months ago.

Duke, who is now an Irish Shows Association judge in both ride and conformation, has also entered the 11-year-old bay in the stinted mares’ class. The daughter of Amiro M, who was bred by the owner/rider’s father Paul Horner and Gerard Reid, is in foal to the Captain Clover stallion Clonaslee Captain Cristo.

Merrycorner Mister Bui, who won the ‘small’ class last July and was reserve champion to his then stable-companion, Spellbound, was sold afterwards into Britain. Re-categorised as a show hunter pony, the now five-year-old Templebready Fear Bui gelding has been performing with distinction this season and, most recently, was reserve champion at the Royal International Horse Show.

Meanwhile, Hardingdale Darcy, who stood second to Merrycorner Mister Bui in their Dublin class, has continued his career as a small riding horse and Tim and Suzanne O’Brien’s six-year-old Cusop Darcy gelding will bid to go one better next week. Suzanne will also ride the grey in the intermediate side-saddle section.

Before their appearance in the racehorse to riding horse class, Loughrea dental nurse Amory McMahon will compete in the small riding horse class with her mother Kate’s nine-year-old chesnut mare Via Del Corso.

This combination won the corresponding class at Tattersalls where the final line-up in the large class, and the championship, was headed by Leonie O’Gorman on the 10-year-old Nash Me gelding Its After Eight.