Bridging problems

THE fences used for the performance classes at Dublin are a topic of conversation in themselves whether they are situated in Ring 2 or the Main Arena.

This year a brilliant addition was the farmyard of off-white walls and a red gate and rails which could be used in a variety of ways. The curved bridge continued to cause a lot of problems among the lower height ponies in the working hunter section, which is one area where some animals and/or riders are still not well enough prepared.

While the professional producers and riders don’t want any more time-consuming qualifiers for classes at the show, it appears that some of the working hunter tracks being tackled around the country are a far cry from what ponies will be asked to jump at the RDS.

Breeding award

County Limerick breeder Ronnie Kelly was named the leading show jumping breeder at the RDS, based on the performance of Alberta Mist who won the five-year-old championship with Greg Broderick and Talks Cheap, who finished third in the six-year-old championship with Alexander Butler. Alberta Mist is a grey gelding by Womanizer out of a Landino mare, while Talks Cheap is a mare by Tineranas Inspector out of a Colin Diamond. Ronnie’s brother Tommy collected the award on Ronnie’s behalf as he was detained in Limerick, showing horses to potential buyers from Switzerland.

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Tierney honoured

AMONG the special awards made during the show was that to leading exhibitor in the showing section which was once again presented to Daphne Tierney. A most popular owner, Daphne is always supported by her husband Stephen, be it at Dublin or a country show.

Jane Bradbury who produces all the Tierney horses gives much of the credit to her right-hand woman Wendy Anderson. Wendy does all the breaking for the yard and helps Jane throughout the winter when they could have up to 20 horses stabled at any one time.

Judging winners

UNLESS they spent all their money at the many and varied stands, five people left the RDS €1,000 the richer during the week having correctly matched the judges’ decisions in selected classes and being drawn out the winner.

On Wednesday, the prize went north when it was won by Ballynahinch’s Lois Knox. Kevin Hough took the Euros home west of the Shannon on Thursday while Friday’s successful pundit Eileen O’Connor had a short journey to Howth, possibly on the Dart.

Members of Cheval Riding Club have been very lucky of late as following on from Teresa Ward landing The Irish Field/AIRC training weekend with Cian O’Connor, Aishling Bradwell was the winner of Saturday’s public judging competition. The last €1,000 prize was won by Sive Kearney from Clogheen, Co Tipperary.

Ciara sits it out

EXPECTING her second child, Borris’ Ciara O’Connell has been sitting out the side saddle showing season but she provided a very informative commentary on the two Lindt-sponsored classes at the RDS.

Ciara assists the Side Saddle Association of Ireland’s honorary secretary Julie Brindley in organising clinics and liaising with shows.

Ciara explained that the Association provides a rental service for saddles if anyone is keen to try riding ‘sideways’ and will visit Riding Clubs and Pony Clubs to give clinics if requested. Check out the Association’s Facebook page for more information.

Access to stables

ONE complaint raised all week was the restriction on access to the boxes where horses were stabled.

It’s easy to understand the RDS’s need to control access from a health and safety point of view but if prospective clients make use of the catalogue’s inclusion of the phone numbers to contact exhibitors, it makes no sense that they can’t inspect horses in a controlled environment and without others seeing their hand.

Perhaps between the RDS and Horse Sport Ireland, a registration system for prospective buyers could be put in place which would see them issued with a wristband allowing access when accompanied.

McCusker prizes

THE McCusker Group once again sponsored a prize of €100 for the breeder of each winning animal in the youngstock section and also a further €100 for the best turned-out handler.

The breeders’ names all appear in the results section but for those who wondered whose sartorial elegance most impressed the judges we can now reveal the yearling winners as Tiernan Gill (Walk In The Park) and Kieran O’Gorman (Brookfield Royale).

In the two-year-old classes, the prizes went to Sam McCormick (Best Advantage) and the only female winner Margaret Jeffares (Ballykelly Empress). Those who caught the eyes of the judges in the three-year-old classes were Keith Walsh (Cavalier Choice), Lorcan Allen (Courtown Maverick) and Denis Collins (Forans Maltilda).

In The Irish Field breeders’ Championship, the Wafer brothers, Maurice and Seamus, won the award for best show on the triangle with Miss Conci and her colt foal by Emperor Augustus.