FOR the second year in-a-row, Michael O’Toole exhibited the supreme champion Connemara Pony at Roundstone Show, this time his father Henry’s four-year-old mare Castle Charm.

It was a scorching hot day at the beautiful Farrell’s Field, home of the very first Connemara Pony show. The late Ruth Rogers was hugely missed from the ringside and in everyone’s thoughts and conversations throughout the day. “Ruth was a great friend and supporter of the Roundstone show and she will be missed,” Brian Mullen said in his chair’s address.

After a short deliberation in the championship, judges Liam Cotter and Valerie Davis awarded the champion sash to O’Toole’s Castle Charm, who was having her first outing of the season. Out of two-time Clifden champion Castle Urchin and sired by another Clifden champion, Glencarrig Knight, Castle Charm won the four to six-year-old class ahead of Alaoise Halpin’s Saoirse Cailin (Ben Ban Crcker Jack – Cloughbrack Lily) on her way to the championship.

Reserve champion was Bunowen Paddy, winner of the stallion class for Tómas and Fiona Grimes. The 12-year-old by Silver Shadow is out of Irishtown Beauty and was bred in Ballyconneely by Noel Sweeney before being sold to owner Susanne Leijonhufvud in Sweden. He was imported this season to stand with the Grimes’ and this was his second reserve sash of the weekend, having also won the day previous at Ardrahan Show.

Second in the stallion class was Noel Noonan’s Manor Duke, exhibited by Joe Burke. A winner this season, the eight-year-old is by Curraghmore Cashel out of Banks Vanilla.

Cathy Snow and Martin Coyne landed the seven-to-12-year-old mare class with Kilpatrick Snowdrop. The 11-year-old mare, who was bred by Joan Dolan, is out of their own stallion Moorland Snowy River and out of the mare Kilpatrick Holly. In second place was Aisling Sweeney’s Silver Hill Lass (Dunloughan Troy – Heather Star).

No stranger to red rosettes, Peter O’Malley’s Glenlo Lady took the top prize in the 13 years and over mare class. The 13-year-old, who was bred by Pádraig and David Connaughton, is by Laerkens Cascade Sawn, out of Lough Fee Princess. Kieran McGrath exhibited his own Little May (Glencarrig Lexus – Aran Jessica) to finish in second place.

Just two turned out for the bay mare class which was won for the second consecutive year by Michael Conneely with his three-year-old Cloonboney Summer (Lightening Star – Monaghanstown Maeve), ahead of Shane Sweeney with the 11-year-old mare Garryhinch Swallow (Monaghanstown Boy – Coosheen Cuckoo).

Junior champion

Patrick Curran is enjoying a dominant season in the three-year-old filly section with his sister Eleanor’s Glencarrig Sea Breeze. By their resident stallion Glencarrig Knight and out of Glencarrig Scarlett, the filly won her class before collecting her fifth junior championship of the season. Second in the three-year-old filly class was Cathal Dunne with Blackhaven Molly (Clonberne Boy – Fair Ruby).

Bernard Keaney took victory on home soil with his yearling colt Murvey Jordan, also by Glencarrig Knight, and was rewarded with the reserve junior champion sash. Caroline and Tracy Lydon’s Red Park Mystery Man (Lightening Star – Achill Island Heather) was second in the yearling colt class.

The yearling filly class went the way of Val Noone from Claregalway with the Gurteen Dara-sired Crusheen Dara’s Nancy, out of Crusheen Gipsy), ahead of Padraig Curran with Glencarrig Moonlight (Glencarrig Prince – Fairtyhill Helen).

Grace Maxwell Murphy was taking her second win of the weekend in a two-year-old filly class with Glencarrig Princess Ella. By Glencarrig Knight and bred by Ciaran Curran, the filly won in Ardrahan the day previous. Jack Keaney’s Grey Rock Lily (Murvey Rocco – Grey Rock Sugar) was awarded the blue rosette.

Gerry Martyn’s Killea Legend (Killea Island – Ashbrook Beauty) was the winner of the Colm Costello Perpeutal Cup, on what was an emotional day for the Costello family. Exhibited by Joe Burke, the three-year-old came out on top in the two and three-year-old colt class ahead of Noel Nee’s two-year-old Doonreaghan Pat (Glencarrig Knight – Rosmeen Rostuff Lady).

Michael Conneely’s Ardbear Marlan was crowned the champion foal. The Glencarrig Knight filly won the filly foal class while Sean Cooney’s Loughmore Johnny (Brocklodge Buster – Wyncroft Hero) was the winner of the colt foal class.