SIX middleweight horses were initially presented from their respective classes, but just four were retained to be ridden again. Among those in the final group was Hilary Gibson’s 2025 champion Mr Venture Elm who was bidding for back-to-back titles with Jamie Smyth.

Rachel Moore Rooney was back on board the four-year-old winner Carnally Arizona, and she had also qualified Roslyn Ewing’s Drumlane Golden Boy (second in his older division) who was ridden this time by P.J. Casey.

Brian Murphy made the cut with Ballyconnigar who had also placed runner-up in the ladies’ side-saddle two days earlier, but Moore Rooney’s day just kept improving with her two stablemates standing champion and reserve.

Topping the duo for the Joseph Widger Perpetual Challenge Trophy was Carnally Arizona, a stunning gelding by HHS Cornet. Interestingly he is also sire of the 2025 supreme hunter champion Raglan Road. The dam Cregadill is by Touchdown and has also produced the 11-year-old Porsch gelding Carnally Rock who is eventing at three-star level in Holland.

Downpatrick-based owners Andrew and Cheryl Whiteley were beyond proud of their winner who was also bred in Co Down by Edel Reel. “He was second here as a two-year-old with David Lyons and we bought him last year, on the condition that Rachel took him to produce. She had done a bit with him when he was with David showing in-hand.”

Lightweights

The lightweight classes are always well-filled and from the five divisions, 10 horses were initially presented. Of these, four were retained to be ridden again.

Moore Rooney was triple handed for this one, with Cavalier Charlie, Drumlane Kate (Aoibhinn Ruane) and Gabriel Bell’s Rebel For Life (Megan Norton).

Shane Mckenna and Carrowgar Arion won the lightweight gelding five-year-old class and the lightweight championship at the Gallagher Dublin Horse Show \ 1st Class Images

However, the judges finally went in favour of Gina Heaps’ stunning five-year-old home-bred Carrowgar Arion, a winner on Thursday under Shane McKenna, who later received the Samuel Ussher Roberts Perpetual Cup.

In reserve was Jamie Smyth with his own 2025 lightweight champion, the eight-year-old Bannside Dancer who had topped the older geldings’ division two days earlier.

Carrowgar Arion only joined McKenna’s Co Waterford yard a few months ago and they have already formed a great partnership. “He is very kind and willing, and I am very grateful to Gina for trusting me with him. I also wish to thank everyone else on the team. We had 23 horses and ponies here in total,” his rider said.

The champion, who is now on the market, is beautifully bred as a son of the jumping sire Herald III. He is the third foal from another home-bred, Carrowgar Nerrada (by Nerrado). She has also produced the eventers Carrowgar Future (in the US) and Carrowgar Oresta who is campaigned here by Michael McNally.

This extended family has already produced a Dublin champion, with Carrowgar Arion’s grand-dam Equine Connect Monchie being the dam of Carrowgar Herald, winner of the Laidlaw and Pembroke cups in 2019. He was then sold to the UK but is now back with his Clare-based breeder and was competing at the show last week.

Four-year-olds

The penultimate championship for four-year-olds saw five horses presented in the Laya Arena. P.J. Casey took the ride on Cavalier Charlie for Rachel Moore Rooney, who was back with Carnally Arizona to take the coveted win for the Galway-Greer Perpetual Champion Cup.

Equally delighted in reserve was Edmond Mahony with Northern Ranger, and he too was among just four from an initial group of six in contention for the supreme hunter title. Also returning to contest the most prestigious of them all was Brian Murphy on his heavyweight BBK Flynn and Shane McKenna on the lightweight Carrowgar Arion.

Judging the one ‘everyone wants to win’ is always tedious and the judges take their time coming to a unanimous decision. A referee judge is always on standby too.

Calling them in reverse order, Carnally Arizona was crowned reserve supreme, with BBK Flynn landing the highest accolade for his British and Irish connections. “It has just been a super week,” commented Brian Murphy. “We had several big wins all week in the young horses, riding horses, cobs and now this.”

Based at Fortview near Ballynahinch, Moore Rooney was over the moon. “I have been competing at the RDS since I was eight or nine. This was my best show ever and will never be topped. I really missed it last year - I was pregnant with Reuben. Everything just came together this year. It’s hard work – we had 12 in total – but we have a fabulous team, and special thanks to my husband Kyle and to my mother Shirley.”

Commenting afterwards on the supreme champion and reserve, visiting British judge Beanie Sturgis said: “They were both fabulous horses, but the winner had such a gallop.”