AFTER a spell of uncertainty over some of its planned programme of events, this year’s Ballinasloe Horse Fair not only went ahead but attracted bumper crowds to the east Galway town last weekend.

“There was as big a crowd as I’ve ever seen at the Fair with very little trouble, just a lovely atmosphere,” commented local Garda, Sgt. Padraig Keaveney.

“Everything went great on Sunday and the sun was shining, there was a lot of international buyers and good trade and prices on the Green,” said the Fair’s equestrian co-ordinator Ciara Croffy.

“The pony and horse loose jumping was a fantastic success, with the quality of horses well up on other years.

“This year we opted for loose jumping and this decision was met with a lot of positivity from participants,” she added.

Taking this year’s Ballinasloe Credit Union Horse of the Fair title was MD Sandyhill Candy Floss, owned by Michael Egan and Danielle Cusack. The filly, out of a Duleek Hero dam, was one of several Sligo Candy Boy entries in the class, which had entries by well-known sires such as Clinton, Jack Of Diamonds and Lux Z.

Jason Higgins’ journey from Enniscorthy paid off when he won the opening Jim Derwin International Horse Dealer Pony of the Fair with his Lux Z filly.

Amongst the entrants was veteran Nenagh producer Willie McDonnell, who has brought three-year-olds to Ballinasloe for this competition for many years.

One iconic photograph doing the rounds on social media prior to the fair last week captured the 1991 prizegiving presentation, featuring then-President Mary Robinson with McDonnell and his winning skewbald stallion The Traveller.

That was also the same year that the late Dr Pat Geraghty sold the Athens Olympic horse Carling King as a foal at the Fair to Michael Buckley.

Demand was strong for hunters, cobs and coloured horses and among those combing the Fair Green during Sunday’s Indian summer sunshine was Bill Bourns, who discovered the 2006 Horse of the Year Show champion cob So Smart tied to a car door at Ballinasloe.

“I thought the quality was a little better but the sellers are overpricing their stock, they’re not leaving much for the next man.

“Monday was very quiet, there was some nice younger stock over the two days though,” said another buyer.

“I thought the prices asked were high and if they don’t sell, the next option is a horse sale in the local mart, where they may only get hundreds,” agreed another observer.

The ISPCA and animal rescue charities were out in numbers in a bid to crack down on illegal sales of dogs. In what is believed to be a related incident, Gardai seized a number of breeding bitches and pups from a van at Dublin Port on Sunday night.

The sad news that Joe Murray, a lifelong supporter of the Fair and whose son Kevin is on the current committee, had passed away this week was met by many tributes to the popular local businessman, whose animal feeds and hardware store was a landmark on River Street.

“After consulting with the family, we’ve agreed that Joe would not like any of this year’s events postponed or cancelled on his behalf. All events will go ahead as planned,” the Fair & Festival committee said in a statement.

The last opportunity for horse trading takes place today, Saturday, October 8th, during Country Fair Day, with mare and foal classes also taking place on the Fair Green.