THE three ridden classes at last Saturday’s first qualifier for the Connemara section of Balmoral Show were judged by Denise Norton, whose top five in her final line-up in each class secured a qualifying ticket with the next two being selected as reserves.

In the opening four and five-year-old class, Norton had two ponies on her top score of 40.5 marks, North Cottage Silver JJ, who was ridden by Aoibhinn Ruane for Aoife O’Connor, and the Chloe Lacey-owned and ridden Ballylee Lemon, both five-year-old geldings who qualified for Dublin last August.