Carrig’s Island Lad takes first place in Connemara championship

The roan gelding, Carrig's Island Lad, purchased by the late Deirdre Scott from his Clare Island breeder Sean O'Grady as a foal, won the Berney Bros Saddlery ridden Connemara championship in Ring 2 on Thursday afternoon.

The Castleside Carrig four-year-old is now owned by Kilternan exhibitors Charlotte and Gill Glynn who turned to Scott’s daughter Philippa to ride their gelding at Dublin. On his way to championship success, Carrig’s Island Lad first won the four- and five-year-old class ahead of Liam Lynskey’s Black Shadow grey Brackagh Dream.

The reserve champion was Rockisland Dara Og, winner of the class for ponies six-year-old and upwards whose riders are under 17. This grey Loughmor Mr Dara Og gelding was ridden for Co Meath owner Michael Love by Emily McQuade.

The youngstock classes got under way in Ring 1, where judges Amanda Brudenell and Gill Richardson had their own way at arriving at a result, one not immediately obvious to those ringside or those handling horses in the ring.

The two-year-old champion was Donnie McGale's Corniche Chill which always stood top of the class for geldings with potential to carry up to 83kg. The grey Chillout gelding was bred in Co Mayo by Ann Jennings out of her Porsch mare Remember The River. The reserve was John and Catherine Roche's home-bred Assagart Velvet, a brown Colin Diamond filly.

The three-year-old champion, and one tipped to take the supreme title today, was Rebecca Monahan's Notalot. Among the bay's many previous championship successes was that of champion filly here last August. The daughter of Lancelot was bred in Co Clare by James Wallace out of the Cavalier Royale mare Clooneen Cavalier Countess.

Diamond Choice, shown by Tim Martin for Co Down exhibitor Dorothy Walsh was judged reserve supreme. This Moshaajir gelding was bred in Co Wexford by Janet Furney out of a Coevers Diamond Boy mare.

Three classes which come under the showing section were concluded on Thursday morning in the Main Arena.

First up, Jodie Ronan won the small event horse class on her own Ardeo Dime, a seven-year-old French Buffet gelding which put up an excellent performance over the mixture of show jumping and cross-country fences in the big ring.

The four-year-old young event horse class went to the Rehy High Society gelding Kilcannon High Society, ridden by Jason Higgins for Enniscorthy exhibitor Mary Bolger, while, first into the ring, Derryinver Girl, won the five-year-old class under Gilford's Steven Smith who shares ownership in the Contador mare with his brother Trevor.

Young Event Horse Classes, Four-year-olds

1, Mary Bolger’s Kilcannon High Society

2, McLoughlin Bros’ Glendew

3, Carol Gee’s Newmarket Con

Five-year-olds

1, Smith Bros’ Derryinver Girl

2, Denny Kerr’s Ballycorman Smokie

3, Jane Bloomer’s Hollybrook Hotshot

Small Event Horse

1, Jodie Ronan’s Ardeo Dime

2, Leila Barker’s Ardeo Illusion

3, Harold McGahern’s Manologic

Ridden Connemara Ponies – Four and Five-year-olds

1 (and champion), Charlotte and Gill Glynn’s Carrig’s Island Lad

2, Liam Lynskey’s Brackagh Dream

3, Ciara Mullen’s King Boy

Six-year-olds and Upwards – Riders under 17

1 (and reserve champion), Michael Love’s Rockisland Dara Og

2, Patrice Byrne’s Glencroft Aruba

3, Aideen Robinson’s Cloon Apollo

Six-year-olds and Upwards, Riders over 17

1, Laura McWeeney’s Roo Bella

2, Phyllis Jones’s Rocky Cashel

3, Emily McGowan’s Rathbane Legend

Stallions – Four-year-olds and Upwards

1, Claire Lacy’s Lucky Rebel

2, Robbie Fallon’s Cashelbay Rocket

3, Noreen O’Connor’s Rebel Mick