The native Connemara and Irish draught breeds took centre stage in the showing section at the horse show yesterday with Ann Lambert from Wexford riding her own stallion, Killinick Bouncer, to land the performance Irish draught championship on their third attempt.
Bred in Co Waterford by Leslee Asbury of Pennsylvania, the 11-year-old grey was purchased by the rider’s father, Jack Lambert, as a yearling and jumped up to grade-A level until the conclusion of last season. He now competes in riding club activities, hunts regularly with the Killinick Harriers and this year covered about 30 mares.
The reserve was the winner of the four- and five-year-old class, Bright like a Diamond, who is owned in partnership between rider Niamh Grimes and Samantha Fitzsimmons. Purchased off the Done Deal website as a three-year-old, this grey gelding is by KEC Bluejay Diamond and was bred in Co Wexford by Betty Byrne out of a Creggan Diamond mare.
Gloster Boy
Swords-based Lydia Dawson rode her mother Helena’s Gloster Boy to win a second Connemara performance hunter championship in the eight- to 15-year-old section. The younger championship fell to Killinchy’s Emily McGowan and her seven-year-old Earl of Newbridge gelding, Benny Liath.
The riding horse title also went north, through the nine-year-old bay gelding Carnsdale Peacemaker, ridden for Randalstown’s Laura Smyth by Lesley Webb.
In the small hunter championship the honours went to the Kroongraaf four-year-old gelding Chantilly Bojangles, owned and ridden by Paul O’Shaughnessy from Turloughmore.
