DUBLIN Horse Show organisers have warned that some classes are already at maximum capacity as the June 30th deadline for RDS entries looms.

With very strong entries already received, potential Dublin Horse Show competitors are reminded all entries must be received by the RDS on, or before, that deadline. The RDS asks those competitors who are already qualified to get their entries in immediately.

Wednesday's show jumping qualifiers for horses at Mullingar Equestrian Centre saw very large entry numbers across the young horse classes, with 124 horses turning out for the four-year-olds and 102 in the five-year-old competition.

The Connemara Performance Hunter and Performance Irish Draught qualifiers have also seen record entries to date.

The first qualifier in Scarteen, Knocklong, Co. Limerick, (June 10th) saw a very strong numbers with 108 and 62 entered respectively for the Connemara Performance Hunter and Performance Irish Draught competitions.

The second qualifier scheduled for Rincoola, Granard, Co. Longford, on Saturday (June 17th) has over 90 Connemaras, and 49 entries overall in the Performance Irish Draughts.

The Connemara Ridden Classes (73, 74 & 75) have reached maximum capacity, with 20 primary entries already received for each class at the Show.

Further important dates on the horizon include the three-year-old Potential Event Horse qualifiers which are being held at the following locations:

Top Flight Equestrian Centre, Warrington, Co. Kilkenny Monday, June 19th

County Clare Showgrounds, Ennis, Co. Clare Tuesday, June 20th

Ard Chuain Equestrian Centre, Corballa, Co. Sligo Wednesday, June 21st

Ross House Equestrian Centre, Mountnugent, Co. Cavan Thursday, June 22nd

Kernan’s Equestrian Centre, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh Friday, June 23rd

The following week the Loose Performance qualifiers will take place at:

Top Flight Equestrian Centre, Warrington, Co. Kilkenny Monday, June 26th

County Clare Showgrounds, Ennis, Co. Clare Tuesday, June 27th

Ard Chuain Equestrian Centre, Corballa, Co. Sligo Wednesday, June 28th

Ross House Equestrian Centre, Mountnugent, Co. Cavan Thursday, June 29th

Kernan’s Equestrian Centre, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh Friday, June 30th

Online entry for the Show can be accessed via the following link - http://entries.dublinhorseshow.com, or through the Dublin Horse Show website.

NEW COMPETITION

A new international competition offers the third largest prize at Dublin Horse Show and brings world ranking points to RDS Main Arena on the Thursday of the show.

The inaugural ‘Anglesea Serpentine Stakes’ will offer a prize fund of €50,000 making it the third biggest prize money class at the Dublin Horse Show after the FEI Nations CupTM and the Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland. The new class will take place on Ladies’ Day, August 10th, and is one of eight international competitions at the Dublin Horse Show in which riders can earn points for the Longines Jumping Rankings.

The new competition is in fact a merger of two previous classes: the Anglesea Stakes and the Serpentine Stakes. Perhaps anticipating this merger, last year Lorenzo de Luca won both competitions back-to-back before going on to have one of the best Shows of any rider in modern times.

The CSIO5*/CSIYH1* Dublin Show is one of only eight venues worldwide which host Nations’ Cups competitions, attracting the elite of the international show jumping circuit. The total international prize fund of the Show is €644,500, of which €400,000 is evenly split between the FEI Nations CupTM and the Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland. The Anglesea Serpentine Stakes will also act as an important qualifying competition for the Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland held on the Sunday of the Show.

Online ticket bookings and a provisional Programme of Events for the 2017 Dublin Horse Show are now available at www.dublinhorseshow.com