A HUGELY competitive field of 118 combinations turned out to try for one of the final eight places on offer in the prestigious four-year-old class at the RDS Dublin Horse Show in August, at Mullingar on Wednesday. German judges Thomas Schönig from the Hannoveraner Verband and Roland Metz from the Oldenburger Society had the difficult job of narrowing it down to eight horses.

After many hours of jumping it was Harold Megahey’s Clover Kcx, a German-bred stallion by Cornet Obolensky out of Halina Va by Kannan and ridden by his owner, who reigned supreme when he was awarded a score of 80.25. Megahey is based between Belgium and Northern Ireland where he runs Westbury Stables and the day before the qualifier was the first time he sat on the winner, who is normally ridden by Jonny Mulligan.