AS has become the norm, the Irish Draught enthusiasts were out early on Wednesday morning, as the competitive action at the 2024 Dublin Horse Show got under way in Ring 2 with the first of two performance Irish Draught classes.

Twelve four and five-year-olds, who had qualified at one of four venues throughout the country, took on the Dereck Hamilton-designed track, among them last year’s runner-up, Dermot Molloy’s Cummer Dubh, who was again ridden by Diarmuid Ryan.