TULLA’s Rebecca Monahan, who won three of the youngstock titles, including the supreme at the 2015 Dublin Horse Show with the three-year-old filly Notalot, repeated the feat at this year’s renewal, again with a filly, but this time with the two-year-old Dermish Not A Dare.

Judging for the Laidlaw Cup took place close to noon last Friday week in Ring 1 where, earlier in the day, the bay Irish Sport Horse had taken the title of champion filly (Owen Ryan Cup) in the youngstock division. The previous morning, having won her fillies’ class, she left the same ring as champion two-year-old.

The reserve sash on that occasion was carried by Tiernan Gill’s Dutch Warmblood gelding Flogas Syb, winner of the medium/heavyweight class, who was to press Dermish Not A Dare all the way to stand reserve in the young horse championship. A very attractive, athletic roan son of Calvino Z, Flogas Syb was bred in The Netherlands by Charles Van Gestel out of the Warrant mare Imette.

In the charge of the owner’s sister Jenny O’Driscoll, Regina Daly’s Latseycopple Hights topped the line-up throughout in the lightweight colts and geldings’ class. By the performance influence Imperial Hights, the bay gelding was bred in Co Cavan by George Hall out of the Sir Shutterfly mare Sir Latsey.

The Irish Sport Horse filly Dermish Not A Dare (aka Ruby) is by the ISH stallion CC Captain Cruise and is the second of just two foals registered on CapallOir out of Lady Alison (by Pacino). The family traces to the great Chou Chin Chow mare My Irish Bride VII. Here, Monahan tells us how she came by her youngstock champion.

Love at first sight

“I got a call from a friend, Brian Cleary of Kildysart, in May last year, as Michael Lyons had mentioned to him that I might be interested in a show filly. I went with my husband, Ray, to look at her and it was love at first sight! She had an amazing walk with a wow factor and a beautiful head. Brian had bought the filly as a foal from her breeder, Gabriel Mullins.

“Ruby won a few classes and championships last year. She was in the line-up here in the yearling filly class, but really she didn’t have the development of the others at that time. For me, it is wrong to push yearlings just to get a red rosette, so she was brought on nice and slowly and spends most of her time out in the field.

“After wintering out, we brought Ruby in in May and did a couple of local shows before the All-Ireland two-year-old filly championship back in her home town of Kildysart, where she was second, so we knew we were going in the right direction. She was a pleasure to show at Dublin, as she is a very sweet filly with a beautiful nature. She took everything in her stride and showed herself off like a pro.”

Monahan has a great record at the Dublin Horse Show, as she showed Notalot to win as a yearling, two and three-year-old. She was filly champion twice, reserve supreme and then landed the supreme championship. “It’s an incredible achievement, as we only have one show horse every year, but they are looked after like royalty,” continued the Co Clare owner/producer.

“I teach riding in a local riding school (Castlefergus Equestrian) and it was so special to see my young students watching me parade in the Main Arena on Friday. Hopefully, this will be an inspiration for them. I have great support at home from my husband, Ray, my mum, Sigrid, and my two boys, Cillian and Joshua. Friends also play a big role in making this achievement possible. Ruby is now on holidays and will hopefully be back next year and do it all again.”