By Susan Finnerty, Margie McLoone and Caitriona Murphy
As always, Dublin Horse Show proved to be a happy hunting ground for foreign buyers in search of the next big thing and throughout the five days of the show, dozens of deals were struck.
On the show jumping side, Greg Broderick’s four-year-old Dublin winner BP Castlefield has been sold to Dan Walsh in a deal that was negotiated ahead of the show but sealed when the horse won the final.
The Tipperary rider’s five-year-old winner Alberta Mist will now move to the United States, having been purchased by his long-term supporters Caledonia Stables.
Super Chilled, Broderick’s six-year-old Dublin winner, had been bought by US-based Irish rider Kevin Babington just prior to Dublin and will now be aimed at the Irish Breeders Classic in September and the young horse championships in Lanaken in October.
It remains to be seen whether Broderick himself will appear at Lanaken after he and the eight-year-old MHS Going Global were given the nod by Robert Splaine for a potential appearance at Nations Cup level in the same week.
It is understood that Alexander Butler’s mount Hallowberry Cruz, an eight-year-old stallion by Cruising, is the subject of intense sale negotiations since Dublin.
On the showing side, the trade for young horses was described by many as quiet but there are several prize winners moving homes in the aftermath of the show.
Daphne Tierney has sold her supreme hunter champion Bloomfield Excelsior and stablemate Bloomfield Tetrarch to British showing producer Jayne Webber.
Kieran Ryan has sold three of his horses; the reserve supreme hunter champion Huntsman is going to Kirsten Douglas in Scotland; the small hunter champion Heartbeat is destined for the yard of Fred Patterson of Pattersons Horseboxes for his daughter to ride and the coloured champion Arthur Guinness has also gone to England.
Prolific showing winner Katie Jerram bought the Balmoral young horse champion Classic Choice from Pat Martin during her annual trip to Dublin and, according to reports, already lying across his back so has wasted no time with him.
Anne Drabble from Lincolnshire bought Paula Howard’s Kings Composer colt, a finalist in The Irish Field Breeders Championship, while Janet Furney sold another three-year-old, her un-named Gorey champion by Moshaajir was sold to Fiona Smith from Scotland, also as a show prospect under saddle to Scottish buyer Fiona Smith.
Laura Kelly came under immense pressure to sell her Marley And Me, runner-up in the three-year-old lightweight gelding class but resisted all overtures as she wants to keep him for an eventing career.
Inside the competition arenas, Ireland’s Cameron Hanley was named the Longines Leading International Rider at the show with 27 points to his credit.
The Irish Horse World columnist finished 10 points clear of his nearest rivals, Bertram Allen and Thomas Ryan, who finished in joint second place on 17 points each.
Clearly on form, Hanley won the opening class with Newton Du Haut Bois at the five-star show in Dublin after recording wins at Hickstead with Antello Z and at Chantilly with Amira.
Speaking after the presentation, Germany-based Hanley said: “I’m delighted with this award. I knew I wasn’t in contention for a team place coming into the show, so I made a decision to concentrate on the individual classes; this was my goal and it paid off.”
Along with many international riders, Hanley left Dublin bound for London for the latest leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour. Tonight, the top 18 riders in the world will compete in the Grand Prix at the Horse Guards Parade Ground, where the prize on offer is €450,000.
Turn to pages A50-78 for a bumper 28-page report on the Dublin Horse Show, including full results from all classes.