SINCE they first made their way on to the Dublin Horse Show programme, the performance Irish Draught classes have increased in popularity, quality and professionalism and this begins at the qualifying stage.

The Ryan family’s Scarteen venue has always attracted large entries and it was the same again last Saturday when the third of this season’s four qualifiers was held at the Co Limerick venue. Missing was the voice of Chris Ryan, who was on commentary duty at an eventing Nations’ Cup in Strzegom, Poland, but, included were a couple of controversies.

One concerned the Scarteen-based Jason Furlong who amassed the highest score (240 points) in Section B of the six-year-old and upwards class on Ludden Silver Chieftain but does not feature in the placings and did not secure a qualifying ticket for Dublin.

“A number of people complained to the secretary on Saturday that as course designer, Jason should not have taken part in the competition,” the RDS’s equestrian manager Fiona Sheridan told the Irish Horse World during the week. “We saw that as a conflict of interest and said he should be disqualified.” This decision is being challenged.

The first qualifying ticket thus went to the six-year-old Castlegar Fin Grove mare Savannah Herself (235.5) who was ridden by Sean Looney for Michael Moylan. This grey was bred in Co Galway by David and Ann O’Reilly out of the Creggan Emperor mare Kildaree Hazel.

The Whytes from Co Longford, owner Gerry and rider Teresa, claimed the second ticket with the Beechmore Silver Crest gelding Sleehaun Silver Crest (235). Being out of the Star Kingdom mare Orlcon Star, this six-year-old grey is a full-brother of the year-younger chesnut, Sleehaun Master Mind, who has qualified for the four and five-year-old class at Dublin.

Alicia Devlin Byrne will be heading back to the Ballsbridge showgrounds with her own Gort Town Dancer (226) having secured the only ticket on offer in Section A with the eight-year-old Gortfree Hero gelding.

Correna Bowe and her father J.J.’s Patrickswell Sherry won’t lack match practice when they bid to improve on their second place finish in the four and five-year-old class last August as they made it three for three in this season’s qualifiers when winning Section A here on 233.5 points.

Also previously-qualified, Edel Whyte finished second on her father Gerry’s Sleehaun Master Mind (230.5) so the only ticket on offer went to the third-placed Prospect Silver (221.5), a four-year-old Glanntana gelding ridden for Tanya Bourke by James Rochford.

Three of the top five finishers in Section B were previously-qualified, including the winner, the five-year-old Benlowcross stallion Benlows Hero (236.5) who was ridden by Sean Looney for his breeders, Ryan and Smith.

Bourke and Rochford secured another ticket here with the third-placed Prospect Earl (229), a four-year-old Gortfree Hero gelding while Laurence and Sarah Maxwell combined to bag the second ticket with their four-year-old Lionwood Kinsales Lad mare Carrafarm Constellations (222.5).