SHANE Goggins triumphed in the first young horse championship of the Dublin Horse Show when his mount JDP Dougland was awarded top marks in the €10,000 Mo Chroi Four-Year-Old National Championship sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland.

Owned and bred by Joe Prendergast, the Co Mayo-based breeder was on hand to see the success saying, “I’m very happy, it’s the first horse I’ve ever had in Dublin.”

By Ard VDL Douglas, JDP Dougland is out of the Corland-sired dam Dourwies. Dourwies was sourced by Kylemore Stud out of Holland. While this may be Prendergast’s first horse in Dublin, he has plenty of young stock coming through.

Dourwies has so far bred a full-sister to JDP Dougland, as well as a two-year-old and foal by Tyson, and is in foal this year to Carrera VDL.

Speaking to The Irish Field after the class, Goggins said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the horse. I broke him at Christmas and produced him on from there. He only did one qualifier, the last one in Galway EC, which he won and then went on a break. He was a little bit green the first day, very good in the second qualifier and he jumped great today.”

Charged with the difficult task of judging Saturday’s top six finalists was Dutch international rider Bart Bles, and Stanny Van Paesschen, three time Olympian and chef d’equipe of Friday’s winning Mexican Aga Khan team. On hand to show the finalists to the best advantage on their second time out were Irish internationals Daniel Coyle and Richard Howley.

JDP Dougland had scored highly in both qualifying rounds finishing in the top 10 in Wednesday’s qualifier before going on to take the third place position on Friday. The gelding proved even more impressive in Saturday’s opening round coming through as a clear leader when awarded a mark of 78.

A second impeccable showing under Richard Howley ensured JDP Dougland remained the firm favourite for the judges and finished well clear of the pack on an aggregate mark of 154.

The scores for the next two placings on the day proved incredibly close with only a single point in the difference. Katorevel, ridden by Ita McDermott to second place in both qualifying rounds, came through to the second round in fourth place but moved up the line-up to finish as runner-up after another impressive round with Daniel Coyle, realising total marks of 133.5.

Owned by Cathy Cuffe, Katorevel is by Quaid II out of the Satisfaction I-sired Shakira. Imported from Holland, the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland-registered mare was bred by Jan Roede.

Luc Henry’s Ganesh Hero Z took third position in the line-up on a score of 132.5. Ably piloted by Damien Griffin, the stallion had caught the eye of every judging duo throughout the week and was the victor in both qualifying rounds.

Ganesh Hero Z, by by Henry and Gerry Marron, is by Gemini CL xx, the clone of 1988 Silver Olympic medallist Gem Twist and out of the exceptionally well-bred dam Hiamant Vant’t Roosakker (Diamant de Semilly – Darco – Chin Chin) and currently stands out of Andrea Etters’ Belmont House Stud in Co Offaly.

The Harlequin du Carel-sired SRS Imperial took fourth place on a combined mark of 129. Owned and ridden by Sophie Richards, the gelding showed consistent form finishing inside the top six all week.

Young rider Jack Ryan rode to fifth place with DSH Cluen Castle (Ars Vivendi – Harlequin du Carel) achieving a score of 121.5 while completing the line-up with a score of 112.5 was Catherine Thornton and Darco Q (Amaretto D’Arco – O.B.O.S Quality 004).