HAVING had a mixed start to this year’s Dublin Horse Show, Louise Lyons ended it on a high when landing Sunday’s horse working hunter championship on Paulette Cooper’s MJM Laszlo.
One of seven to jump clear in the five and six-year-old lightweight class, the 2010 Classic Vision gelding received top marks for way of going (19), conformation (18) and ride (19) to win the class comfortably on 96 points. He finished seven points clear of Aideen and Owen Kirby’s six-year-old home-bred Lancelot mare Derg Masterpiece, who had also finished second under Aideen in the small event horse class on Thursday.
The reserve champion was Ballymoyle Orbis, winner of the seven to 10-year-old lightweight class under his Glencullen, Co Dublin owner Georgina Davy. A 2006 Orbis gelding with plenty of Eventing Ireland experience behind him, the winner recorded one of four clear rounds and was two points clear of his nearest rivals for way on going.
On being recalled for the ride and conformation phases, Ballymoyle Orbis was one of two who received 19 points for ride from Robin Sharp but only received 14 (out of 20) points for conformation from Ian Smeeth. Highest-marked here on 17 points was Antonia de Burgh’s side-saddle winner Gypsy Cobra Cruise but, on a total of 89, this chestnut had to settle for second behind Ballymoyle Orbis (92), who was bred in Co Wicklow by Alex Moores out of her Nearly A Nose mare Minmore Primrose.
FIRST RATE
Action opened with the four-year-olds and doubling up on his Balmoral victory was Wallis Birch’s much-admired liver chesnut First Rate, who had disappointed in his young event horse class in the Main Arena on Thursday morning.
Ridden, as usual, by Gwen Scott, First Rate was one of six recalled as they had jumped clear but he held a considerable lead at this stage, having received 19 points for way of going, three ahead of his nearest rival.
He also received the class’s top marks for conformation and, though beaten a point for ride, was a runaway winner on 93 points.
Julianne Gaffney finished second (83) on Sarah Cleary’s ride winner, Cairnview Ryans Touch, a Harlequin Du Carel gelding who has done some show jumping with his owner.
First Rate was bred by Birch out of Cairnside Hoity Toity (by Silvano), who she just had the use of for one breeding season.
The 2004 mare and has since bred an Obelix filly (Cairnside Sophia) for her owner, Lynn Cairnduff. First Rate was one of the many horses sold at the show and is joining the aforementioned Paulette Cooper to compete in showing and working hunter classes.
The Alicia Devlin Byrne-owned and ridden King Flagmount, winners in Ring 2 on Thursday of the Irish Draught performance championship, had a pole down in the older heavyweight class on Sunday so, in spite of easily topping the conformation phase and receiving the full 20 points for ride, had to settle for third on a total of 83 points.
Most disappointingly, only two of the 12 starters jumped clear and just they and two others were recalled after the jumping phase.
The winner, thanks to his top marks for way of going and a good score for ride, was Kilbrew Star who was ridden for his Ashbourne owner Darren Jordan by Diarmuid Ryan.
The eight-year-old Glencorran Star gelding, who completed on 87 points, was bred in Co Monaghan by James McKeown out of the Silver Glider mare Ritas Pet.
Paying her annual visit to Dublin, Rosemary Morris finished second on Lady Perdita Blackwood’s KEC Bluejay Diamond gelding Cavalier Cavallo (83).
Having hit the deck on the second of her two rides in Wednesday morning’s Irish Draught class, Louise Lyons was more than pleased to win the championship on MJM Laszlo, who she sold to Paulette Cooper before Dublin last year.
Bred by Janet Murray out of the Touchdown mare Mi Chiamano Mimi, he has been competing in working hunter classes and BSJ competitions in England and only retuned to Lyons about a month ago.