Dublin RDS 2013
The number of spectators surrounding Ring 2 on the first morning of the 2013 Horse Show was just phenomenal. Granted many of these would have been connections of the 31 Ponies who had qualified for the Connemara Performance Hunter Championships but there is a definite surge in the numbers now keenly interested in the Connemara pony as could be seen also at the Thursday morning Ridden Classes. Mercifully the weather stayed warm and dry for the two days, totally unlike last year.
The Breeders Championship on Wednesday afternoon had an entry of 12 qualified mares with foals, Judges Mary Low and Bridget Millington – who had a busy 2 days judging all the Connemara classes at the Show – awarded the Championship to Glencarrig Princess, owned and bred by Gearόid Curran of Galway. Glencarrig Princess is by Glencarrig Prince a former Clifden Supreme Champion and is out of Belmont Lady. Connemara Pony breeding and showing is a family affair with the Curran family with sons and daughters now involved and it was young Amy Curran who handled the winning Mare as her father Gearόid led the April filly foal, Glencarrig Countess. The regally named filly is by the Stud’s own Glencarrig Knight, the Winner of the 2012 Stallion Class at the RDS. He was possibly the last we shall see of these fine representatives of the Breed in Dublin as entry numbers have fallen so low and the RDS (which has an entry fee of €200 per animal) will not run a class with less than 6 entries. Reserve went to Judy Cuddy’s Coosheen Sparrow by Glenvalley Grey and colt foal Knockalla Tit Willow by Currachmore Cashel.
The morning Performance Hunter Competitions had no trouble getting the entries in, as all of 16 qualified ponies competed in the class for younger ponies, 5 to 7 yr. olds, and 15 ponies aged 8 to 15 yrs. also completed this challenging Derby style course of 16 fences.
- Josie Jump & Jason Higgins
All three phases of the competition are separately marked with 63% for the Jump phase and 37% divided between Ride and Conformation.
Junior ponies Hunter competition. The stallion Josie Jump (Currachmore Cashel X Ballybeg Maggie) who won the Juniors class last year with Wexford rider Jason Higgins made it a double this year and gained a total of 281 marks out of 300, which left this pair way ahead of the field.
The 2nd prize went to Ben Bán Playboy, Deirdre Scott’s stallion son of Glencarrig Lexus and Festy Lady, expertly ridden by young Aaron Quinn who also carried off a 4th prize shortly afterwards in the Senior competition. The next 3 ponies in the winner’s lineup were Pallas Pet with Hannah Phillips, Ballydavid Blueberry with Michelle Kenny and Monivea Boy with Lucy Kelly.
In the Senior Ponies Hunter competition there were only 2 points separating two great ponies but it was Comical Con who topped the scoreboard to take the winners sash in the seniors competition with rider Rebecca Dunlea. The 10yr old gelding is by Crusheen Comet out of Crusheen Connie and has made his name in Eventing circles also.
- Gloster Boy & Lydia Dawson
Lydia Dawson has had a good partnership for some years now with runner-up Gloster Boy, the 9yr old gelding son of Laerkens Cascade Dawn and Ridge Sally, and the pair won the Junior class in Dublin in 2011 and have had many successful show outings in both ridden and jumping Classes countrywide.
The next three places in the winner’s line-up went to Lettermuckoo Lad (a Clifden Puisssance champion last year) with Lisa Murphy, Derrygimbla Atlantic Storm with Aaron Quinn and Templebready Anna with Emma Horgan.
Ridden Classes, Thursday
You were doing well if you arrived in time for the 8 am start of the Connemara Pony Ridden Classes on Thursday, but at least the Ladies day crowds had not yet invaded the RDS grounds. Niamh’s Weblog was there only for the 2nd Ridden class, Class 75 for riders over 17, which sported an amazing line-up of 23 ponies with only one solitary bay in a sea of grey and white.
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The Class was won by the 6 yr. old Tuckmill Star (Dark Edition X Butler Star) well ridden by Mary Butler. This combination later took the Reserve Championship
- Tuckmill Star and Blackwood Fernando with Alicia Devlin Byrne
In 2nd place was Blackwood Fernando (Ferdia X Dancing Queen) with Alicia Devlin Byrne. Next in line were Kippure Norma with Debbie Boylan White, then Thiergartenshof Larissa with owner Grace Murphy, Hillside Rover with Nicola Crosby and Festy Jane with Kathryn Byrne.
In the earlier and first Ridden Class of the day, Class 73 for 4 and 5yr old ponies the winner was the 5yr. old mare, Rosscon Camille by (Boden Park Finnard X Rosconn Cover Girl) . This pair were later chosen as Connemara Ridden Champions to receive the Eugenia Murray Trophy. I am grateful to Galway’s Mary Connolly for the Champion’s picture. Loguestown Papaver with Lynsey Adamsen received the Blue Rosette in this Class, and they were followed in the final line-up by Teach Mor Knight with Charlotte Smiley , Glencroft Aruba with Emma Byrne and Frenchfort Roebuck with Holly Hayes, who stood in the 3rd, 4th and 5th places.
We go back now to Ridden class 74 for riders aged 10 to 16 , held this year at the later evening starting time of 5.50pm. I have a picture of Rosswood Little Lady, 5th in class.
Claremont Lad with Lucy Glynn was 1s t Pontoon Lad was 2nd with Ciara Mullen; 3rd was Glenmore Kelly’s Commotion, with Stephen McNulty, 4th was Cumarfort Scopie Spartacus & Katie Marks, and 5th Rosswood Little Lady, Ciara Connolly. For picture Gallery Click Here or see on Right in Contents,
Niamh’s Weblog never did get photos of Class 74 and the Stallion Class, so if anyone has pics. of Claremont Lad, or Rosscon Sunrise, we would be very grateful if they could be used on this Blog. And would you believe, 5 months later, in early January, a welcome response arrived from Michaela Butler with pictures and information from the Ridden Stallion class.
“Hey Niamh —Result was for the ridden stallion class. Result. 1st Rosscon Sunrise owner P.J. Watson rider Eoin Gaughan.
2nd Kippure Lancelot owned by Michaela and Joanna Butler, ridden by Nicola Perrin, 3rd Plume de Kezeg owned by Tom Murray. And Callowfeenish Grey ridden by Rebecca Connell, Black Shadow ridden by Victoria Gibson, Cashelbay Chip ridden by Alicia Devlin Byrne
Michaela”
Niamh's Weblog 