Kelly’s Bannow Double

Last year was a dream start for equine physio Sharon Kelly in her first year of show horse ownership, when, on her first visit to Bannow & Rathangan Show, she won the All Ireland three-year-old final with her Annaghmore Dunkirk.

On Thursday, she maintained a 100% strike rate at Bannow, when his half-brother Annaghmore Flo Pleasure brought off another win for his Craigavon owner. Both her Bannow champions were bred by Aoife Healion in Tullamore and shown by Shirley Hurst.

Not only back-to-back Bannow titles for the pair, but also a second All Ireland title for Annaghmore Flo Pleasure, the Connollys Red Mills two-year-old final winner at Tinahely last August. The Bannow & Rathangan final, held during the host show’s 74th anniversary, is part of a long-standing sponsorship by Galway Crystal and Belleek China, while its €5,000 prizefund is part of Horse Sport Ireland’s national showing championship series.

Initially pulled in 12th in the preliminary line-up of judges Chris Gordon – paying a repeat visit to the Wexford show – and Rosemary Connors, who won the 2016 final with her homebred Woodfield Xtra, Kelly’s bay was promoted to the top of the final line-up.

By the For Pleasure stallion For Kinmar Hero Z, the 2025 champion is out of the Clover Echo mare HHS Flo Echo. His damline includes Twinkle, the late Seamus Hughes’ King of Diamonds-Battleburn mare that produced Marion Hughes’ famous mare Flo Jo.

A decade after Rebecca Monahan’s Notalot became the only filly to win the always hotly-contested Bannow final, Patrick Finn’s Frenchfort Kildysart Lady came close to matching that result. Pulled in top of the preliminary line-up, she moved to the reserve champion place and also picked up the highest-placed filly prize on offer. By Chelis HC Z, the bay filly is out of the Lux Z – Big Sink Hope mare Rusheen Lux and was bred by Gerard Grace. Philippa Scott deputised for her usual handler Tiernan Gill who was watching on from the ringside.

Nor was she the only filly in the top-three, as taking third place was Yvonne Pearson’s Double Act, also the highest-placed homebred. By Centrestage, she is out of the Munther mare Kief Queen B, a prolific winner for both Pearson and Anthony Gordon in her young horse days.
21 three-year-olds – the same number as last year’s final – were present in Killag where the White family host this massive show on their farm. Seven fillies were amongst the line-up and some will have a rematch at the All Ireland three-year-old filly championship, hosted this year by Tydavnet Show on Saturday, August 16th.

Just two of this year’s finalists were traditionally-bred and a pure-bred Draught – Mary Deirdre Kinsella’s smartly-turned-out Front Of House, by Inisfree The Holy Grail – was the native breed flagbearer.

“It’s all about quality and he’s a lovely horse, the winner. And so it was great to see so many nice horses,” Chris Gordon said afterwards.
“It’s very different when you’re standing into them, having a good look around them and then you can see all the good points, as well as the bad points. So there’s a fair old change around here,” added Gordon, explaining the reason for their reshuffled line-up.

BREEDING
Annaghmore Flo Pleasure (ISH) 2022 Colt by Kinmar Hero Z (ZANG) out of HHS Flo Echo (ISH), by Clover Echo (ISH). Bred by Aoife Healion