COMMENTATOR CHRIS Ryan had the pleasure of announcing SBT Prospector, owned by his wife Sue, as the winner of the four-year-old young event horse class, which got the action under way in the main arena yesterday morning.
By the thoroughbred stallion Tasset out of an Irish sport horse mare, the tall grey was ridden by Camilla Kear, who was also on board the gelding when he qualified for this class at the Ryans’ home, Scarteen House, in June.
SBT Prospector, bred in Co Wexford by Myles Nugent, finished the two days’ competition on a score of 87.3, with the next best, Victoria Nicholson’s Accondy gelding Grey Area, completing on 84.7 under Katie O’Sullivan.
Only two horses recorded clear rounds in the five-year-old class with the higher judges’ assessment sealing a comprehensive victory for Ballycreen Milord, ridden by Louise Codd for Ballynahinch exhibitor Lawrence Patterson.
This attractive dark bay gelding, which was bred in Co Wicklow by David Cosby and is by Kings Master out of an Orbis mare, finished on a score of 88.1.
While the vast majority of competitors in these classes are professional riders, civil engineer Niamh Ennis finished second on her own Porche Renkum and Queen’s student Ben Crawford filled third spot with Sandra Hamilton’s Cornascriebe Kings Master.
Judging in the young stock section started with the two-year-olds and the champion was Ballard Eagle, a Master Imp gelding which won the De Valera cup at Ennis on Sunday and was shown here by his Clonakilty owner Seamus Lehane.
The bay was bred in Co Cork by Denis Collins out of the Kildalton Gold mare Carrigroe Princess. In reserve stood Judith and Russell Cowley’s home-bred chestnut filly Cloneyhea Peas, which is by Irish draught sire Arthur’s Gold.
This year’s three-year-old champion is Lislan Last Hope, owned and shown by Saintfield’s Sam McCormick, a long-standing admirer of the gelding’s sire Big Sink Hope. The bay was bred in Co Clare by Darragh Kelly out of a Master Imp mare.
Taking the reserve ribbon was Bloomfield Ollie, which was shown by Philip Scott for Wicklow breeder Daphne Tierney. This one is by the popular Registered Irish Draught stallion Crosstown Dancer out of a mare by the thoroughbred Aristocracy.