Dublin Horse Show – Day 3 – Generations and Doubles Abound in Irish Draughts

Irish Draughts and Connemara ponies – two of Ireland’s native equine breeds – are seen in abundance in Dublin’s show classes. Thursday is traditionally known as “Draught Day” when Irish Draught enthusiasts from home and overseas cluster around Ring 1 to watch the native breed in the mare and foal classes, while Friday saw the Irish Draught stallion champion decided.


And not only in these showcase classes but throughout the Dublin catalogue and champions list, you’ll find both breeds, from Connemara ponies jumping in Simmonscourt to pure-bred Irish Draught winning hunters – such as Balmoral champion Tulcan hero winning his heavyweight hunter class yesterday and like Dermot Molloy’s Two Mile Nigel, another sold to the Netherlands.


The final Friday champion crowned, as the Aga Khan Nations Cup crowds streamed home, was another pure-bred Irish Draught: Glenn Knipe’s Murrisk Hill Seasmoke (Farmhill Highlander. Breeder: Michael Grady), this year’s Dublin cob champion.


Dublin wins are unforgettable and for two Irish Draught owners, this year was particularly special.
Not only did Valerie Davis win the show jumping section of The Irish Field Breeders Championship on her debut but it turned out to be a spectacular 24 hours for both her and also, for another winning owner Pat Hoare, who also owns a Dublin back-to-back champion.

Castleview Lady Georgina, shown by Valerie Davis’s husband Seamus O’Neill and IDHBA representatives: Michael Murphy, Matthew O’Meara and Brian Murphy. (Photo: Susan Finnerty)


Castleview Lady Georgina retained the prestigious Eileen Parkhill salver, presented to the champion Irish Draught mare’s connections in memory of this great supporter of the Irish Draught breed, for her Donegal owner. The now dual champion Castleview Lady Georgina is a seven-year-old mare by Castleview Inisfree Farmer and her dam is Castleview Princess, by Coolcronan Wood. She won the older mare class on Thursday morning, held after the opening class for three and four-year-old mares, with the occasional four-year-old entry having a foal at foot.


Kathleen Gielty-Cunney’s homebred Foxford Nina, a three-year-old mare mare by another former Dublin champion in Cappa Aristocat out of I Dream Of Ruby, by Inisfree The Holy Grail won this class, also sponsored by the Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association.

Dean Conaghan with Kenny & Wendy Bell’s champion foal, pictured with IDHBA representative Sharon Mannion and judges Julie Cornthwaite and Claire Oliver. (Photo: Susan Finnerty)


In the mare championship, Castleview Lady Georgina scored a repeat championship win and Foxford Nina stood reserve. The mare champion was bred by Kenny and Wendy Bell and the Derry couple won the other Irish Draught championship on Thursday evening, held for the Dublin champion foal. Their champion foal is a filly by Moylough Supremacy and is out of Castleview Farmers Lady.
The reserve champion foal was also by Tors Gentleman Farmer – Marcus and Emma Donnellan’s colt Suileen Gentleman out of Miss Suileen Bouncer, by Moylough Bouncer.

Two In A Row x 2: The second Irish Draught to retain their 2024 title was Pat Hoare’s Moylough Supremacy, shown by Stevo Finn. Also pictured is co-judge Claire Oliver. (Photo: Susan Finnerty)


Moylough Bouncer’s owner Pat Hoare owns last year’s stallion champion Moylough Supremacy, the sire of this year’s champion foal. As an added Dublin bonus, the reigning champion returned to win a second title yesterday afternoon from the 12 entries.
By Carrabawn Cross, yet another former Dublin champion, Supremacy and his full-brother Legacy, also in yesterday’s class, are out of the the Castana mare Ardcarne Vilamear, bred by the late John Gilboy.
Another Co. Roscommon breeder of a Dublin champion, as the performance class winner DS Ballagh Bouncer (by Moylough Bouncer too) was bred there by Brendan Duffy.


Second this year was the 2023 champion Grace Maxwell & William McMahon’s Edenagor Star. Now a five-year-old, he was bred in Co. Donegal by Jim McNulty and is by Dunsandle Diamond out of the Carrickrock Close Shave dam Edenagor Rosie. His Coolcronan Wood sire, owned by Matt Loughnane, was in yesterday’s class and while sire-son combinations are occasionally seen at Dublin, there were a rare sight yesterday of three generations in the Dublin Irish Draught class: Sean Barker’s father and son pair of triple champion Gortfree Hero and Gortfree Lakeside Lad (placed third yesterday) and then Gabriel Slattery Jnr’s Fuerty Welcome Lad, Gortfree Hero’s grandson.

Memory Lane: The late John Gilboy, pictured here at Dublin Horse Show in 2016, the breeder of dual Dublin champion Moylough Supremacy. Also pictured is another great Draught stalwart Peter McHugh, from Hollymount, who bred Creevaghstables Mr Bloomfield, second in the ladies side-saddle class. (Photo: Susan Finnerty)