THE long road to the Dublin Horse Show is nearly at an end with only a week to go before qualified combinations contest some of the most prestigious national classes in the country.

With many familiar faces making a return trip, Dublin offers not only the chance to see which riders consistently make the grade but also shows which up and coming young horses are continually rising through the ranks and what sires are proving influential in the industry.

Thursday’s loose performance class provides spectators with the chance to see which sires are consistently getting the stamp of approval as well as offering breeders the chance to see what new sires are producing at this early stage.

OBOS Quality’s progeny have proven to be a reliable bet in the three-year-old divisions for a number of years, providing the 2012 and the 2014 runner-up and the 2013 winner in the fillies sections.

Although not featuring in the top two for the last two years, they remain a firm favourite with judges in the qualifiers.

Five of his progeny made it into the top three over the qualifying rounds but only two made the grade for the top 20 making it through to the final in the Simmonscourt arena.

Michael Keane brings forward Cruise Billerough, the runner-up in the colts/geldings section in Co Clare. Bred by Co Clare’s Sean Jones, the gelding is out of the Cruising-sired dam Cruise Grove. Andrew Gardiner’s Corbeagh Star Quality was the second-placed gelding in Ard Chuain and is out of the Clover Hill-sired dam Corbeagh Clover.

A new sire coming to the fore this season is Aganix du Seigneur (Ogano Sitte – Chellano Z). Two colts will represent the former mount of Jos Lansink, both coming through as winners of their sections.

Brendan McSorley’s unnamed chesnut out of a Clover Echo dam impressed the judges to come out on top at the final qualifying round in Kernans EC, while Tania Muller and Etter Sport Pferde’s Mr. Lincoln B came out in front at Ross House.

Sligo Candy Boy emerged in 2015 as a sire to watch, with an historic one-two victory in the fillies’ section, while in 2016 his progeny remained on top, providing the winner of the fillies’ section in Castle Camiro and the runner-up in the colts/geldings’ section with Castle OJ. Both can be seen this year in the four-year-old divisions, proving just as impressive under saddle.

Representing the stallion this year are Maria Griffin’s Miss Candy Girl, coming forward as the second-placed filly from Co. Clare, and Padraig Arthur’s Candy Rose, who won her section at Ard Chuain.

FOUR-YEAR-OLDS

Over the last number of years, the four-year-old class has seen many changes implemented and reversed in the qualification system. In 2016, there was a return to the traditional format of four qualifying rounds which had seven places awarded by visiting judges.

This system has obviously proven successful and was kept in place for 2017.

The Belgian Warmblood Society’s Herman Van Den Broeck and KWPN inspector Henk Dirksen were on judging duties over the qualifying rounds.

Clem McMahon’s former Nations Cup mount Pacino remains well represented and was obviously a favourite of the judges with three of his progeny making their way to Simmonscourt.

Coming forward from the Meadows EC are Martin Duffy with Hillcoote Broder Fox (Pacino – Cruising) and Catherine Thornton with HSC Sunny Jim (Pacino – Conquistador), having finished fifth and sixth respectively while qualifying in Mullingar was Tholm Keane with Be Aware. Bred by Ronan Tynan, the mare is out of the Cruising-sired dam Warrenstown Well Aware, a competitive Grand Prix jumper under Keane.

The progeny of Flex-a-Bill also proved a popular choice with judges. Kenneth Graham, the runner-up in last year’s Mo Chroi Four-Year-Old Championship will return this time with Flexible Flight (Flex-a-Bill – Errigal Flight), while Paddy O’Donnell and Young Flex (Flex-a-Bill – Ballinvella Lad), qualified with a top-three finish in Maryville.

O’Donnell is one of only three riders to fill his quota in the four-year-old divisions and will also aim to impress with the Numero Uno-sired stallion Defiance du Murier. Liam O’Meara also maximises his chances having come out in pole position in the qualifying round in Mullingar, with Grangeview Cruise (Cruising Harry – Silvano), as well as booking his place at the same venue with the Sandro Boy-sired Legaland Team Spirit.

Darragh Ryan is returning to defend his title with a full quota. In fact, the Ballypatrick Stables team member has a full quota over all the age classes with a busy Dublin Horse Show ahead – a total of eight mounts.

The 2016 four-year-old champion with Abby V Overis Z, Ryan was the first to catch the judge’s eye when winning at Barnadown with the Dignified-sired Boleybawn Cooley, while the I’m Special de Muze-sired I’m Special LVS finished highly at the Meadows.

Ryan finished as runner-up in last year’s Five-Year-Old Flexing National Championship and will undoubtedly be looking to move up the line-up on this occasion. His chances already look good having qualified in style by winning at the Meadows EC with Quinnton and at Mullingar with BP First Editions.

Both horses are exceptionally well bred, out of proven competition dams. The Caledonia stables-owned Quinnton is by Plot Blue out of the Laughton’s Flight-sired Mrs Quinn, while David Cullen and Ronan Rothwell’s BP First Editions is by Verdi out of Ballypatrick Flight (Laughtons Flight x Cavalier Royale).

FIVE-YEAR-OLDS

Mikey Pender was the winner of the five-year-old divisions last year and also returns double-handed, certainly hoping to defend his title. While finishing behind Ryan in the qualifying round at the Meadows, Pender secured both his places on the one day when finishing second and third with HHS Catwalk (Cit Cat – Clover Echo) and Javas Gucci (Luidam – Cruising).

Two of last year’s top six from the four-year-old final have once again made the cut for the Dublin Horse Show. Peter Smyth and the Cevin Z-sired mare Derrycastle Sensation, third in the four-year-old final, secured their ticket when taking a top-five finish at the Meadows, while the 2016 runner-up Pacino Amiro, ably piloted by Kenneth Graham, qualified first time out at Barnadown.

SIX-YEAR-OLDS

The six-year-old divisions see a number of the 2016 five-year-old finalists continuing to progress in their careers and return to the Ballsbridge venue.

Lackamore Storm, finishing in the top six in the five-year-old championship with Olive Clarke, returns to Dublin under Darragh Ryan this year.

Ryan also brings the Ars Vivendi-sired Boleybawn Actor, winner of the qualifying round at Barnadown. Providing good exposure for breeder Ronan Rothwell, Boleybawn Actor is out of the same dam, Arina (Air Jordan Z), as the four-year-old Boleybawn Cooley.

Also returning from the five-year-old final is Carrow Kavanann. Taking the green rosette in the main arena in 2016 with Kevin Gallagher, the Kannan-sired mare is now owned by Ballywalter Farms and booked her place with Shane Goggins.

Gallagher may no longer be paired with Carrow Kavanann but he has made his way back to Dublin for the six-year-old section, paired on this occasion with the Indoctro-sired Carrow Indoctro.

Michael Pender, runner-up in the 2016 Championship, has a chance to impress once again in Sunday morning’s Cruising National Championship, coming forward from Mullingar with Marion Hughes’ O.B.O.S Quality-sired HHS Geneva.

Hughes’ Kilkenny-based operation is well represented with Jack O’Donohue filling his quota and bringing HHS Toronto (Cavalier Royale x Don Juan de la Bouverie) and HHS Calais (Cavalier Royale x OBOS Quality), and Maria Vozone riding HHS High Five (Cavalier Royale x Harlequin du Carel.)

Making it an impressive five bred by Hughes, Anne Marie Fitzpatrick also made it through with her husband Harry’s Heritage Fortunas-sired HHS Fondue.

SEVEN AND EIGHT-YEAR-OLDS

Peter Smyth will not return to contest the six-year-old divisions but he has made the grade for the seven and eight-year-old class, with two seven-year-old mounts. He returns to the main Dublin arena with his 2016 Six-Year-Old Cruising National Championship winning mount CHS Krooze and also Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick.

Ballypatrick Stables will be well represented in the class with both Darragh Ryan and Greg Broderick bringing two mounts apiece. Ryan has already shown good form winning at Barnadown with the seven-year-old Quidam Junior I-sired MHS Carlos as well as taking fourth place at the same venue with 2016 Irish Breeders Classic winner Ballypatrick Flamenco.

Broderick also comes forward as a winner of a qualifying round, having triumphed at Maryville with Cartouche V Overis Z, and he will also bring Gretchen Biedron’s Nashville III-sired seven-year-old All Gold Des Isles.

Two other riders made it double-handed to the prestigious international class, with both Philip McGuane and Clem McMahon eager to make their mark.

McGuane has two eight-year-old horses, the Corland-sired Entertainer V and the Ugano Sitte-sired Judas VD Donkhoeve, both finishing second in their respective qualifying rounds. McGuane has previous form in this class finishing fourth last year with LVS Wizard.

McMahon ensured qualification by dominating the line-up at the round in the Meadows, winning aboard the seven-year-old Hermes de Reve-sired Hilton Hashtag and with the Pacino-sired Hilton Pacifico finished in fourth.

The Sunday morning seven and eight-year-old international final offers spectators the chance to see how Ireland’s up and coming young horses measure up against their European equivalents. The Irish have more than held their own over the past number of years, and last year was no exception with five of the top eight places filled by horses produced on home soil.

Undoubtedly the aforementioned riders will be hoping to continue this trend.