WHEN the Horse Committee of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society holds its debrief on the recent four-day show at Balmoral Park, there should be a general feeling of a job well-done in strange and challenging times.

Those who attended the fixture, in various capacities, were delighted that it went ahead and exhibitors, riders and spectators alike were willing to adjust to changes for the year that was in it although it has to be said the horse/pony section was open to southern entries, unlike the cattle.

However, the majority of those I spoke to regarding the two performance horse championships – for which combinations had to pre-qualify – are hoping that this competition reverts to its pre-Covid format in 2022.

While the performance Irish Draughts maintained their three-phases of flat work, jumping and conformation, the performance horse classes, staged in the Main Arena on the Friday morning, were more akin to a Derby but with judge Eric Smiley, the former Co Down-based Olympian, coach and BHS Fellow, awarding marks out of 25 for way of going. Also, the four and five-year-olds were in one class together while the second was for six-year-olds and upwards.

There might be a case for some sort of speed class over a mixture of show jumps and cross-country fences for older event horses in the Main Arena. However, breeders, owners and riders of young event-type stock are keen that the qualifiers and finals revert to one for four-year-olds only and one for five-year-olds only next spring with all phases being reinstated.

Sure to target the second of those would be the traditionally bred Ardglen Star Happiness who won the four and five-year-old class two weeks ago under Emma Jackson. Owned by Co Tyrone’s Seamus McGillion, this 2017 mare is by the thoroughbred sire Road To Happiness out of Ardglen Star Dancer (by Crosstown Dancer).

“This mare, who will definitely be going down the eventing route, is green so I will probably do a bit of show jumping with her over the winter to have her strengthened up for next spring. She got a good mark for way of going (24, as did one other, the fourth-placed Victoria Mullen-owned and ridden Fun Time Frankie who had a fence down) and was clear within the time,” said Jackson of the chesnut whose year older half-sister, Ardglen Stardust (by Near Dock), was fifth under Rachel McCaughey. The pair were bred in Co Tyrone by Viona Wilson.

Co Wexford’s Ciara Kinsella finished second on her home-bred Tyson gelding Tykillen Typhoon (who completed on the 23 marks he was awarded by Smiley) while Lisburn’s Chloe Lister-Tinsley placed third on her own OBOS Quality 004 mare Jockeyhall Pure Quality (22).

Jackson was denied a double when her Beach Ball stallion Vanderbitt (23 marks) was beaten into second in the six-year-old and upwards class by the 12-year-old Future Trend gelding Fancy Trend (24). Both greys, the latter, who was bred in Co Cavan by Eugene McCaffrey out of the Franks Fancy mare Fancy Bunn, was ridden for Ballynahinch’s Alwena Nelson by her daughter Megan.

Vanderbitt, who has 50 Show Jumping Ireland points, qualified for, but didn’t take part in, the six-year-old show jumping championship at Balmoral. Fancy Trend has 83 SJI points to his credit, he and Megan have regularly represented the East Down Branch of The Pony Club and this year they competed four times under Eventing Ireland rules.

Lesley Jones finished third with Yvonne Pearson’s seven-year-old Loughehoe Guy gelding Cairnview Redwood Guy (21.1), another with SJI and EI experience behind him.

The performance horse championships at Balmoral were sponsored by Gibson Agri Services.