AMONG those who recorded a double at the recent Tattersalls July Show was Stamullen’s Louise Duffy who won the qualifier for the Irish Horse Welfare Trust Thoroughbred Club working hunter series on a lovely Saturday morning and the final, in heavy rain, the following afternoon.

Her partner was the 14-year-old French-bred gelding Arvika Ligeonniere who won 10 races when trained by Willie Mullins, including four at Grade 1 level. As well as posting numerous successes in the show ring since retiring at the end of the 2013/14 National Hunt season, Arvika Ligeonniere has adapted well to his career as an event horse.

He powered around the cross-country course in the CCI2*-L at Tattersalls earlier this year and is being aimed at the international in Millstreet later this month.

Second in Saturday’s qualifier was the Dot Love-owned and ridden Heisacoolhand, a 14-year-old Great Palm gelding who won just a single point-to-point. He too has had a second career beyond the show ring as he has been evented, hunted and hunter trialled by his owner as well as some young riders.

In finishing first in the qualifier, Duffy was presented for a second time with the George Mernagh Memorial Trophy having won it first on the Montelimar gelding Assessed who had also been previously trained by Willie Mullins.

Disappointingly, just two horses completed the course in Sunday’s final of the working hunter series, with Louise Lyons finishing second on last year’s Dublin champion, Don Cossack, the now 12-year-old German-bred gelding who won 16 races on the track. His final success in the colours of Gigginstown House Stud came in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup when he was trained by Gordon Elliott.

Disappointing

There was a poor turn-out for both finals this year and a lack of atmosphere around the ring. Owners and riders put in a lot of effort to qualify at five shows before Tattersalls so it was disappointing that their horses weren’t entered or didn’t appear in the finals especially when there was such good prize money on offer.

It was also a pity to see the renowned working hunter ring empty for most of Sunday; perhaps the organisers could run a couple of performance Irish Draught classes which would be popular in the run-up to Dublin.

The heavy rain which fell during the retrained racehorses’ working hunter final also affected the final of the Connolly’s Red Mills champion of champions series in Ring One. As it was, the class was staged quite late on the Sunday and many people had already left the grounds.

Commentator Peter Quirke encouraged any spectators standing out at the end of the competition to clap loudly while those sheltering from the rain in their cars were asked to blow their horns.

There were many compliments throughout the weekend regarding the ground conditions and the layout of the rings and it was particularly good this year to see an increase in the number of led horses being exhibited.

Tattersalls Ireland chair Edmond Mahony, who is on the show committee and spent the two days as a ring steward, was disappointed that Tattersalls clashed with Oldcastle Agricultural Show on the Sunday, but these clashes are hard to avoid.

As ever, all proceeds from Tattersalls July Show, which was held in association with Rolestown Show and the Ward Union Hunt, will be donated to St Francis Hospice.