THE committee of the North East Region of the Association of Irish Riding Clubs ran a very successful two-day Festival last weekend at the Cheval club’s showgrounds near Oldtown, where their efforts in offering a mixed programme of over 40 classes with great sponsorship were rewarded by a large entry.

The rota of judges for Saturday’s dressage comprised Damien McCormack, June Loughran, Lindsey Ilona Brady and NER committee member Jane Whitaker, while Karen Gibney assessed those in the handy horse classes over a course designed by Linda Nulty, chair of the Ard Lú club and another NER committee member.

On Sunday, the flat classes were judged by Cormac O’Rourke and Jill Revill whose supreme champion was the Linzi Sullivan-owned and ridden Foxcovert Dancingintherain, winner en route of the Equieire lightweight class, the hunter championship and the mare championship.

This was an uplifting end to the week for the Boyneside member who, on the Monday and under her maiden name Dowdall, had finished well down the field in the big amateur flat handicap at Galway.

This was a second supreme championship success this year for Sullivan and Foxcovert Dancingintheain who also claimed the overall title at the Dundalk Show in early June. The six-year-old Rebel Mountain grey, who was bred by the rider’s father Raymound Dowdall, is the second of just two foals out of Carry On Dancing (by Crosstown Dancer) on whom Linzi represented the Co Louth Foxhounds in hunt chases across the country.

Supreme Show Champion Linzi Sullivan, with Foxcovert Dancing in the Rain (Boyneside) \ Lennox Photography

Mother of 10-year-old Ellie-Mae, whose exploits in Minimus and show jumping as a member of the Louth Pony Club curtails Sullivan’s own riding, and two-year-old Joni, Linzi hadn’t expected Sunday to go so well. “I told my husband John that I’d be home about 12.30pm or so – instead it was nearer 7pm when I got back!”

Copperfield’s Aoife Keogh stood reserve hunter champion on her Deeside Agri Services medium/heavyweight class winner Caralackey Lad who then went on to be reserve breed champion. This five-year-old Irish Draught gelding by Scrapman was bred in Co Mayo by Brian Duffy out of the Mountain Diamond mare Bishopstown Girl.

Reserve supreme

In the breed championship, Keogh and Caralackey Lad stood reserve to Kilronan’s Louise Somers and Indian Mist behind whom they had also finished second in their IDHBA Dublin Branch-sponsored Irish Draught class. The 15-year-old Cappa Cochise gelding Indian Mist, who was bred in Co Galway by Sheila and Eugene Kelly out of Lissavalley Mist (by Dunkerrin Grey Mist), had a busy two days in dressage and showing. The bay signed off by being judged reserve supreme ridden horse while Somers, who also had some excellent results in dressage on Saturday, was crowned the show’s leading rider.

Performance hunter

Davina Gray’s winners of the Choice Equestrian, Lennox Photos and Rolling Hills performance hunter championship were Abbeylands’ secretary Chloe Kirwan and Carrigfadda Silver Lady who earlier won their Equieire riding horse class, their type championship and their Traditional Irish Horse breed performance class and championship.

An eight-year-old grey mare by Rockrimmon Silver Diamond, Carrigfadda Silver Lady was bred in Co Cork by Jeremiah O’Mahony out of The Big Lady (by Penmerryls Rhythm And Blues).

On a good day for the Copperfield Club, their Eimear Keogh stood reserve supreme performance hunter champion with Ballyoskill Lightning (CORRECT) Lass, a Vivant van de Heffinck mare who was bred in Co Kilkenny by Kilian Dunne out of Millands Dot (by Cavalier Royale).

Keogh’s bay was also crowned champion four-year-old and champion of the lower grades of the Rolling Hills performance hunter classes.

The higher grades champions were Drynam’s Aisling Wilson and Lady Pixie Jones; the cob championship was won by the Abbeylands representatives Rachel Murphy and her Deeside Agri Services lightweight class winner, the 13-year-old brown gelding Royal Benson.

Having enjoyed considerable success at the AIRC Festival, Fingal’s Mary Hagan had another great weekend on the 18-year-old Sweetwell who was reserve champion mare and champion veteran horse.