THE owners of a quality mare, born at the ISPCA’s National Animal Centre in Co Longford, say they will not take part in any RDS classes again after she was refused entry to the working hunter classes on the grounds of the Irish-bred restrictions.

Dromsligo Gypsy, whom readers of The Irish Field, have followed with great interest over the course of her career, competed at the RDS two years ago with her owner Emer Lawlor.

The Lawlors rehomed her from the ISPCA in 2014 but their relationship with Gypsy extends further back as Emer, who is a Garda, had done all the breaking and training with her while Gypsy was still in the care of the ISPCA.

Gypsy was born at the National Animal Centre in May 2010 after her in-foal dam was rescued by the ISPCA. She was transferred from there in 2010 to the ISPCA’s Mallow Equine Centre prior to be rehomed by the Lawlor family.

Two years ago, Emer and Gypsy entered the 158cms Amateur Show Hunters class at the RDS where there was great interest around the ring in the fine liver chesnut from a strong group of family, friends and ISPCA staff and supporters.

However, as Emer is now 26, and there is an age restriction of 25 for that class, she entered the mare in the Working Hunters class at the RDS this year.

The ISPCA supplied documentation to the RDS including Gypsy’s microchip number to confirm that Dromsligo Gypsy was born on May 3rd 2010 in the NAC, Co Longford.

However, the RDS came back again to say that Gypsy, now seven, did not meet the Irish-bred criteria for that class as she had no dam, sire, or breeder recorded on her passport.

RDS officials did point out that there were other classes at the show which are not subject to a breeding restriction which the owners might consider for Gypsy instead.

However, the Lawlors felt there was no other suitable classes for their mare.

Emer, who was working for a month on duty in Co Tipperary, took Gypsy with her and spent over €1,000 for that month alone just so she could keep Gypsy fit for the RDS.

“It’s really quite frustrating. We sorted out the first problem for the RDS with the ISPCA supplying the documentation proving that Gypsy was actually born in Ireland but then I feel the RDS moved the goalposts again about her having no breeding details recorded on her passport.

“At the end of the day, the Dublin Horse Show is a platform and who better than the RDS to be helping provide a platform for rescued animals like Gypsy that can go on and compete? I feel that there is no other classes at the RDS available that would suit Gypsy. I’m not going to enter her into a class which does not suit her, that just would not be fair. Gypsy is tied between two types, a riding horse and a hunter so we are not competing at the RDS,” said Emer.

“I feel that her name goes against her. Perhaps people are expecting her to be a piebald pony. In fact, she is a lovely looking quality mare who has been handled right and cared for very well from day one.

“There was a great honour party behind us at the RDS two years ago but I did get the feeling from some of the officials at the RDS at the time that they didn’t want a rescue animal competing in the RDS. We were in fifth when an official approached me and asked what does the ISPCA in her name mean and when I told him, his face fell and we came ninth eventually,” said Emer who has won an in-hand class in Trim and placed third in Mullingar previously and is also qualified in the one-metre working hunter class for Mullingar’s EquiFestival this weekend.

“This is Gypsy’s first big year competing. She is jumping 1.10-1.15m, she jumping out of her skin. She’s very intelligent and really enjoys it. From now on, I’ll be trying to qualify her for HOYS 2018. I will be spending my money trying to qualify Gypsy for overseas shows when we have one of the best and biggest shows in the world here, I find it very frustrating,” concluded Emer.