DUBLIN HORSE SHOW 2024 – Day 1 Showing Classes Report

STARS ALIGN IN IRISH DRAUGHT PERFORMANCE CLASSES.

Correna and JJ Bowe with Patrickswell Sherry, winner of the six-year-old and over Irish Draught performance class (Photo: Susan Finnerty)

Day 1 of the 2024 Dublin Horse Show and Wednesday is now established as performance day for the native breeds: Connemaras and Irish Draughts. And riding horses and Connemara stallions on parade, young event horses, Traditional Irish Horse Association presentations – there was a lot going on throughout Day 1.
First champion of this year’s show in Ring 1? Amanda Benson’s impeccably-bred MHS Lady Master, winner of the Gill Group riding horse championship with Brian Murphy aboard and bred by Tom Brennan.

Related to MHS Morning Master, the three-year-old champion here in 2018 and last year’s supreme hunter champion at the Horse of the Year Show, she was the first of two five-year-old mares in the sashes.

The other being Gemma Conlon’s Lisbrogan Tigerbillie, a Tiger Attack x Hand In Glove, produced by Rachel Moore and bred in Co. Mayo by Gemma’s brother, Thomas. Second in the large riding horse class, she again followed MHS Lady Master’s winning trail by standing reserve.

Sarah Maxwell and Carrafarm Constellations, winner of the four/five-year-old Irish Draught performance class (Photo: Susan Finnerty)

In the Irish Draught performance classes, over in Ring 2, the opening class for four and five-year-olds was won by Laurence and Sarah Maxwell’s Carrafarm Constellations, cheered on by her breeders Samantha Fitzsimons and Niamh Grimes. By Lionwood Kinsales Lad out of the Star Kingdom mare Sky Full of Stars, the combination qualified at Forth Mountain Stud and also took part in the Traditional Irish Horse Association parade of traditional breeds later in the afternoon.

“I bought her as a three-year-old and she has hunted all season with the Ward Union, then this summer we competed her in working hunter,” said Sarah, from Multyfarnham.

Why pick an Irish Draught? “Well, she has a great temperament, she’s very good looking and she has a great jump to her.”

The other Irish Draught winner was JJ Bowe’s Patrickswell Sherry, a full-sister to Grace Maxwell Murphy’s Gleann Rua For Love, last year’s in-hand Irish Draught mare champion. Both are by Cappa Amadeus and out of the Castana mare Springvale Countess and were bred in Co. Mayo by Noel Sheridan.
JJ’s daughter Correna produced this winner of the six-year-old and over class. “We bought him as a two-year-old and he was second here last year. He’s been in three working hunter championships and he’s in the yount riders event class here.”

The ridden Irish Draught market has been very strong in recent years. How does the Wexford producer find the market? “It’s very good for a good one but just to find that good one!”

PERFORMANCE IRISH DRAUGHT

Four/five-year-olds:
Laurence & Sarah Maxwell’s Carrafarm Constellations. 2020 mare by Lionwood Kinsales Lad (ID) out of Sky Full of Stars, by Star Kingdom (ID). Breeder: Samantha Fitzsimons & Niamh Grimes. Rider: Sarah Maxwell.

Six-year-old and over:
JJ Bowe’s Patrickswell Sherry. 2018 gelding by Cappa Amadeus (ID) out of Springvale Countess, by Castana (ID). Breeder: Noel Sheridan. Rider: Correna Bowe.