SINCE their introduction to the programme, the native breed performance classes at the Dublin Horse Show have proven hugely popular with spectators, while the qualifiers are always well-supported and very competitive.

Next Wednesday morning, a dozen four and five-year-old Irish Draughts, and a similar number of six-year-olds and upwards, are due to appear in Ring 2 before Britain’s Wayne Thorneycroft and David Machin, who will judge them on the flat, over a course of 16 fences and in-hand for conformation and movement.

Sean Looney, who won last year’s younger class on Benlows Hero, will be bidding to follow up with Patricia Molloy’s Cotterstown Dancer, a four-year-old Killountain Cross gelding, who qualified at Tullylish. Others to have qualified at the Stevenson family’s Co Armagh venue were a pair owned by Patricia’s brother Dermot Molloy and ridden by Diarmuid Ryan.

The first of these is the five-year-old Heigh Ho Dubh gelding Cummer Dubh, who finished second to Benlows Hero last August, while the second, a favourite of mine, is the year younger Two Mile Nigel, a chesnut gelding by King Vinny. The latter was partnered by his owner to win the novice supreme championship at the Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan.

The Co Galway-based operation Hollypark Horses, who are no strangers to success in this ring, have two geldings qualified, the five-year-old Hollypark Finn (by Castlegar Cool Mist) and the four-year-old Hollypark Cass (by Casnova).

A winner of his four-year-old working hunter class at Balmoral, and kept busy since then, Seanchai, who is due to be ridden by his owner Darren Jordan, is one of three geldings in the class by Gortfree Hero.

Two mares qualified for that class and one for the six-year-old and upwards section, the 2017 Castlegar Fin Grove grey Savannah Herself who secured her ticket under Sean Looney. There should be some well-known names among the entry, including Jenny Williams’ 10-year-old Treanlaur Rocky gelding Gneeve King William who, if appearing, will be ridden by Co Kilkenny-based British international event rider Nicky Roncoroni.

Among the qualifiers for this class were two stallions, the 12-year-old Moylough Bouncer grey DS Ballagh Bouncer, who will be ridden for Liam Lynskey by Hannah Gordon, and the six-year-old Killinick Bouncer grey Ashfield Bouncer, who will be ridden by Jess Murphy for Ann Lambert.

DS Ballagh Bouncer, who has had two runs in Eventing Ireland company, has 133 SJI points to his credit, while Ashfield Bouncer only has eight, but has qualified for the Connolly’s Red Mills/Irish Pony Club eventing championships at Intro Intermediate level.