DROMARA’s Dessie Gibson isn’t sure how many times he has won the Balmoral youngstock championship but knows that, as on Wednesday, he did so during a visit by Britain’s Princess Royal to the show, then in its former Belfast venue.

The yearling championship, the first to be judged by Anne Leaver and Simon Somers, was delayed for the arrival of the Royal visitor but Gibson certainly wasn’t complaining when the decision came down in favour of his Financial Reward gelding Legacy ahead of James McWeeney’s Elusive Emir gelding Longstone Exclusive who was second to the champion in their class. Valerie McCallister’s Sugar Cara, who provided her sire Cara Touche with a first showing success when taking the fillies’ class, is the latest of Miriam Cunning’s ‘Sugar’ family to make his way to McCallister’s Drumbo yard.