Great day out for tenth anniversary horse show

THE Wicklow branch of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association celebrated their 10th anniversary show in style recently in the beautiful surroundings of Spruce Lodge, Redcross.

The programme not only included classes for all ages of Irish draughts and ridden classes but for the first year the show introduced Connemara classes all of which were well supported . A new feature of the show was a Derby course for Connemaras, Irish draughts and traditional Irish horses, on a track designed by Dereck Hamilton.

First winner of the day in this ring was the Connemara working hunter pony Blackwood Fernanda ridden by Claire Devlin with the runner up Peta Scott with Meelickisland Dappled DC. The first champion of the day was the Kevin Lawlor sponsored youngstock championship.

Champion was Eddie Hannigan’s two year-old Yukon Pearl while the reserve was the yearling winner Goldsmithcountry Highhopes. Huntingfield Rebel won the Cullen Communications brood mare championship while the overall championhip went to a filly owned by John Bracken. Champion of the ridden classes was Sky by Cappa Cochise and owned by Dermot Hannigan and the FBD Traditional Irish Horse championship was won by Daphne Tierney’s home bred Bloomfield Kylemore a quality grey by Financial Reward.

The lucky winner of €500 plus other prizemoney in the supreme championship was the ridden champion Sky. The committee would like to thank the Keogh family for the use of their excellent facilities at Spruce Lodge and to all their sponsors and supporters who were present on the day and to all volunteers who helped before and during the show. A special presentation was made to Mrs Daphne Tierney who has been such a loyal supporter of the show over the past 10 years.