DESPITE a rocky start with weather on Thursday and having to make the decision to extend the show by one day to jump the finals on Monday, the new Irish Breeders’ Classic committee were delighted with how the show went off in their first year in charge.

Liz Brennan thanked the competitors and sponsors for being so cooperative. “On behalf of the Irish Breeders’ Classic committee, I would firstly like to thank all of the competitors here this weekend especially for their patience with us while we tried to re-organise the show schedule on Thursday.

“We were delighted to have Alan Wade here as course designer and we are indebted to Barnadown and all their team for the use of their facilities. I am sure everyone would agree with me in saying that this arena is world class and we must commend Maurice [Cousins] in his care of it.

“Without all of our wonderful kind sponsors, particularly Gain Equine Nutrition, Alltech and HSI, this show would not have been possible. Thanks to Shane Sweetnam in particular for sponsoring our 1.60m Grand Prix, Darragh Kenny for our seven and eight-year-old final, My Show Advisor for our new five and six-year-old all studbooks class, Carol Gee and Francis Derwin international for our new three-year-old loose jumping class, Castlefield Farms for the four-year-old class, and Mullingar Equestrian for sponsoring the Children on Horses Grand Prix.”

Sharon Fitzpatrick added: “Without the support of patrons of the sport horse industry including farriers, vets, physios, equine businesses and all the owners, riders and breeders, we would find it difficult to raise the funds that go towards the massive prize fund and into the running of the show. We are indebted to all the people who helped to make this show a success.

“We, as a new committee, were delighted to have played a part in showcasing our young Irish horses across the globe with the help of live streaming from Irish Sport TV and Bit-Media through Clip My Horse.”

The full list of sponsors are: Alltech, Ashford Farm, Bourns Sport Horses, Castlefield Sport Horses, CBI Stud, Cooley Farm/Richard Sheane International, Crooks Showjumping, Drumhowan Stud, Equijump, Fernhill Sport Horses and Francis Derwin International, Finn O'Hara, GAIN Equine Nutrition, Goresbridge Horse Sales, Higgins Sporthorses, Hollypark Horses, Horse First, HSI, Horseware Ireland, The Irish Field, KK Sporthorses, Leestone Sport Horses, MHS, Mullingar Equestrian, My Show Advisor, Newpark Lodge Stud, Oakland Stables, ORHRE, POS Show Jumping, Q Sport Horses, Raheen na Gun Stud, River Lodge Equestrian, Scarteen Stud, Smithwick's Solicitors, Sweet Oak Farm , Talbot Sport Horses, Vincent Byrne Sporthorses, Williams Sport Horses, Wrenwood Stables.