THE Laois branch of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association held their annual one-day event at Stradbally Hall last Sunday, offering competition for full and part bred Irish Draught horses. Intended to promote the breed’s performance potential as well as offering a schooling day for young horses preparing for Dublin Horse Show qualifiers and the season ahead, the event was held in glorious weather in the beautiful parkland setting of Stradbally Hall where the cross-country course provided a fair challenge for competitors.

The Kehoe Horse Feeds-sponsored purebred Irish Draught Class was very well supported and was won in fine style by John Purcell riding the grey mare Our Silver Lady Lara. Second place in this class went to Ann Lambert’s stallion Killinick Bouncer who was last years RDS Irish Draught Performance Champion. Both first and second placed competitors finished on their dressage scores. In third place and also taking home the cup for best four-year-old was Patricia Molloy’s Skippy Diamond Clover gelding Paddy.