ALTHOUGH it is still cold, wet, windy and muddy, the 2018 showing season is gathering momentum with a host of indoor and outdoor shows having taken place over the past few weeks.

Irish-bred contenders turned out in force at Myerscough College in Lancashire last weekend for the 40th anniversary annual show of Sport Horse Breeding in the North West.

Robert Walker got his hunters off to a flying start in the open weight divisions as the Cheshire rider and producer claimed two Royal International tickets with Jill Day’s light and heavyweight winners Emperors Touch (stable name Sam) and Patric’s Choice. The five-year-old Emperors Touch was bred in Co Tipperary by Kevin Bannon and is by Emperor Augustus. The quality brown gelding was the 2016 Dublin three-year-old champion for Robert Davis.

After Jill Day clinched the deal to buy him at Dublin, ‘Sam’ was backed at Walker’s yard before being turned away to grow for most of last year. He came into work just after Horse of the Year Show last October and this was his ridden debut.

“It can be spooky indoors with spectators quite close and I can’t believe how good natured he was,” Walker said afterwards.

At the other end of the experience scale, the Westcoast Cavalier seven-year-old Patrics Choice, a regular Royal International and HOYS finalist is entering his third ridden season.

Walker’s third hunter ride, Jill Day’s Monbeg Sods Law, a Nazar five-year-old bred by David Hatton in Carlow stood second in a good novice class.

It proved a long journey down from the north of Scotland for producers James Munro and Russell Skelton, but a win with Freda Newton’s reigning small hunter of the year, the Aughabeg Patch six-year-old Ebony King was just reward for their efforts.

Ebony King, bred by William Shanahan was the 2016 four-year-old champion at Dublin for PJ Casey, who found him in a field when he was hunting through it. So impressed was Casey, that he jumped back into the field to have a good look at him.

“We love his limb, movement and type,” said Munro.

Cob classes were brimming with some top contenders and several Royal International and HOYS winners and finalists were having an early outing.

Taking the championship was local rider Anne Leaver riding the winning lightweight Whitegate Dazzler, a pair that had been placed fifth at Birmingham last October.

The seven-year-old black gelding, bred by Derrick Jones in Co Clare was bought four years ago. “He’s a very polite ride and a nice person to have in the stable and although there is plenty of him, he has lots of quality and light movement,” commented Leaver.

Standing second in line and taking the reserve for his new connections was the prolific winning machine that is Randalstown Rolex, who was ridden here by Liz Cheffings.

Previously owned by Paul Mortimer and ridden to great effect by Robert Walker, Rolex was sold to Nicola McConville two weeks before this show. “He’s a real poppet at home and this is a dream first outing for us. Nicola will later take the ride in amateur and open classes,” said new producer Sally-Anne Cowley.

Also having a great debut outing was Polly Coles with her new acquisition, the winning heavyweight Morrows Marksman. Marksman was previously ridden with great success by Simon Reynolds who stood first heavyweight and reserve cob of the year at HOYS last October.

Although the reigning RIHS and HOYS working hunter champions Danny Carroll and Red Why Salute clinched the first Birmingham ticket of the season, finishing a close second was Matthew Cooper and Bellevue Tomboy.

The Laughtons Flight 10-year old was bred by Armagh equestrian journalist Ruth Loney.

Tomboy is a regular winner in open horse and intermediate classes and at Birmingham last October he finished fifth for Cooper in the open class and third for Mark Davidson in the intermediate division.

Stephanie Scott finished third with Opis Day and the Cheshire rider won the novice working hunter with Luxury Moss, a Lux Z seven-year-old bought from the Goresbridge Sales.