IN a break from tradition, the two hackney classes at last week’s Balmoral Show were held in the P&O Arena this year but the results remained the same with exhibitors William Trimble and Joe Cleland fighting it out for championship honours.

This time around it was Cleland of the Budore Stud near Dundrod who came out on top with his evergreen Ingfield Black Prince stallion Glenshane Dandy. Driven by the owner’s son James, the 17-year-old chesnut won his match for the single horse class before being crowned champion and taking the Carplant trophy. “We missed being in the Main Arena where our stallion could show himself off to his full potential,” commented the owner. “He has a lot of staying power!” The Clelands are keen to promote their stallions to those breeding dressage horses. Glenshane Dandy, who was bred in Derry by Joe Quigg, was overall champion of the official hackney show at Ballymena recently.