THE annual pre-Balmoral working hunter and showing show was held as usual on May Day, Monday, May 6th, at Lusk Equestrian, where all classes were staged on sand. Happily, the bad weather which forced this change from grass, had given way to sunshine.

The showing classes were judged by Jessica O’Brien (ride) and George Chapman (conformation), while the three championships were sponsored by Brian and Jayne McConnell, whose Getaway mare, Jumping Jet, bred by former international event rider David Mitchell, won the Randox Ulster National just days previously at Downpatrick.

The ridden hunter champion was the Chloe Thompson-partnered Battle’s Gent, who had earlier topped the final line-up in the middle/heavyweight class. Alistair McDonald’s seven-year-old brown gelding, who enjoyed a very successful 2023 season, is by the Westphalian stallion Sunset Boulevard and was bred in Wales by Malcolm Jones out of Battle’s Girl (by Foxcourt Andante).

Hunter Champion, Chloe Thompson and Battle’s Gent, pictured at the Pre-Balmoral Show at Lusk Equestrian \ Martin O’Neill

Katie Crozier was beckoned into the reserve spot on her small hunter class winner, Darrowby Cougar, a four-year-old black gelding, who had been purchased recently from one of the day’s working hunter judges, Reid Finlay.

Also progressing to the championship as class winners were Eva Lowry on the traditionally-bred Pointilliste gelding Glenveagh Viewpoint (four-year-old class), Victoria Mullen with the McConnells’ Irish Sport Horse gelding Lynara Showbiz (lightweight), a five-year-old Centre Stage bay, and Lesley Jones on Yvonne Pearson’s traditional ISH gelding Cairnview Redwood Guy (ladies), a nine-year-old son of Loughehoe Guy.

In a section for Irish horses, Victoria Teuton claimed the championship with her Irish Draught class winner, Shannaghmore Inferno, a four-year-old Kiltealy Silver gelding, who was bred in Co Carlow by Liam O’Brien out of the Grange Bouncer mare Liams Lady Bouncer. Patricia Martin won the Connemara class on the six-year-old dun Gwennic de Goariva gelding, Hazelwood Prince.

There was a disappointingly low entry for the cob classes, won by Rachel Moore on Morrow’s Dun Deal (light/heavyweight) and Gwen Scott with Declan O’Neill’s four-year-old grey gelding, Darrowby Bacchus (maxi). However, the judges considered the standard high enough to select Robert Morrow’s five-year-old dun gelding as their reserve champion.

Ridden Horse Championship

The four winners who contested the ridden horse championship were the Sarah McCartney-owned and partnered Inishargy Illusion (coloureds), Brooke Ronan with Highthyme Spymaster (riding horses), Gala Rowe-Setz with the six-year-old Zoffany gelding Pat Costello (racehorse to riding horse) and Billie Wilson with the ISH gelding Brisogue Second Chance (veterans), an 18-year-old bay son of Derrymore Lad.

O’Brien and Chapman’s champion was the Sean Keyes-bred Highthyme Spymaster, a nine-year-old grey gelding by Leo Lothario out of Loughroe Sally (by Carrabawn View) and their reserve was McCartney’s 14-year-old piebald gelding by Pieter.

Competitors in the large working hunter section (classes started at 9.30am sharp and ran throughout the day) warmed up in Anne’s Arena and competed in the adjacent sand arena, with its newly-installed bank. The fences were up to height and challenging, giving a great preparation for Balmoral. Sandra Hamilton judged the jumping phase all day, with Philippa Auret (60cm and 70cm) and Reid Finlay (80cm upwards) dividing the ridden phase between them. Brian Lusk was on hand to take over if required.

Winners mentioned earlier were Victoria Teuton and Shannaghmore Inferno (80cm four and five-year-old horses) and Vicky Mullen with Lynara Showbiz (1m).

Victoria Clarke Mullen and Lynara Showbiz (George) won the 1m horse working hunter class at the Pre-Balmoral Show at Lusk Equestrian \ Martin O’Neill

Lesley Jones recorded a double, landing the 90cm 153cm ponies’ class on Emily McGowan’s Connemara gelding Derrylackey Playboy, a five-year-old bay son of Lightening Star, and the 1.10m class with Yvonne Pearson’s ISH gelding Quality Choice. In scoring 97 points out of a possible 100, that seven-year-old chesnut by OBOS Quality 004 beat the same connections’ aforementioned Cairnview Redwood Guy. At 90cm level, the other winners were Sammy Weston with Charlotte Moore’s four-year-old ID mare Tullys Stellar Lady (horse class), a roan by Cappa Aristocrat, and Debbie McNeill, with her own ISH mare KSH Cardento Sunset (small horses and cobs), a six-year-old bay by HSF Cardento Royale, who she also competes at Preliminary level with Dressage Ireland.

In the 80cm classes, Emma Jackson claimed the honours in the Traditional ISH class with Janice Reddy’s ID stallion Ardnacashel Monarch, an eight-year-old grey by Beechmore Silver Crest; the non-restricted horse class was won by Lesley Coey on the ISH gelding Tullaher Milo, a Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan six-year-old; and the final leaderboard in the pony class was topped by Chloe Rooney on Mandy Boyle’s Markey.

The first winning combination of the day was C.J. O’Brien on board the 25-year-old 123cm bay mare Coolgarrane Candy Pops in the 60cm, while the 70cm class, which attracted the show’s largest entry, was won by Molly Reid with the 12-year-old 133cm appaloosa mare Little Me.

As ever, Jenny and Harold Lusk were most appreciative of all the help they received from supporters such as David McClurg and Karen King (who dressed the working hunter course), Fran Warden and Paul Horner (who kept things moving in the showing ring) and the ‘Lusk Livery Helpers’. Entries secretary Sarah Whiteside, joint-breeder of Lynara Showbiz with Lyndon Steele, had the timings for the working hunter section worked out to perfection.