THE Cork/Kerry Branch of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders’ Association (IDHBA) has made significant strides to enhance the visibility of the Irish Draught breed at this year’s Cork Summer Show. With declining numbers in in-hand classes noted over recent seasons, the IDHBA partnered with the show to create attractive and well-funded competitions for Irish Draughts, featuring a total prize fund of €3,700 in the mare and foal classes. This collaboration provided an excellent platform for showcasing the breed and, with over 30,000 visitors attending, it reaffirmed the Cork Summer Show’s reputation as a premier event for equestrian enthusiasts.

The judges for the Irish Draught section were Kenny Bell and Penny Campbell-McLean from Northern Ireland, who faced the challenging task of selecting the top entries from a high-quality field.