“UNBELIEVABLE,” is how Declan O’Flynn described his stallion Slackport Prince being crowned the 2018 Clifden Surpeme Champion. “We never expected this. We knew what we had and he is a serious pony but this is unbelievable.”

The 10-year-old stallion won Thursday’s stallion class before being crowned the Supreme Champion by judges Claire Oakes, Catherine Angel and Susan Byrne. Bred by Martin King in Ballyconneely, O’Flynn bought the Gurteen Cathal-sired stallion, who is out of Slackport Polly, as a two-year-old. His sire was Supreme Champion at the show in 2013

Standing at O’Flynn’s Ballylee Stud in Annaghdown, he leased him to Malachy Gorham last year and it was Gorham who led him to the championship. “Malachy is so good with him, there is no better than Malachy for producing them. I showed him as a three-year-old in Callaghduff and he won his class and the Junior Championship. Malachy’s brother Joe saw him that day and we have stayed friendly since, they are sound people.

“There were serious mares in that championship, we are not normally in the mix up at these big shows but he is a serious pony. I can’t describe it, it means so much to us,” the delighted owner said.

The reserve champion came from seven, eight and nine-year-old mare class. Lockinge Petunia, bred by former racehorse trainer and chairperson of the British Connemara Pony Society Henrietta Knight, is by the HOYS and Olympia Supreme champion Castle Comet and out of Glencarrig Princess, the same mare that sired Gearoid Curran’s junior champion. She sadly passed away prematurely this summer.

In 2014, Petunia’s sire and dam stood champion and reserve champion at the RDS Dublin Horse Show. Watson’s father purchased the nine-year-old mare from a field in Manchester in March and planned all year for Clifden, taking in two other shows and two wins along the way.

Speaking to The Irish Field, Watson said: “She did nothing for years, she was standing in a field and my friend Jonny Stevens, who is here riding at the show, did the deal. She’s very kind, it’s a lovely family and such a legacy comes with it.”

P.J Watson with his Reserve Supreme Champion Lockinge Petunia. Photo Rynes Walker

A few changes to this year’s schedule saw the amalgamation of the stallion classes which were previously split up into a four to six-year-old class and a seven and over class. There was plenty of drama in this year’s class when one stallion got loose, before an able spectator managed to catch him.

Second to Slackport Prince was last year’s young stallion class winner Manor Glen (Currachmore Cashel – Banks Vanilla), owned and bred by Noel Noonan and produced by Joe Burke.

Sean King from Ballyconneely topped the line-up in the 13.2hh class with the John Joyce-bred Sparrow Pretty Girl (Currachmore Cashel - Dawn Cuckoo).

Robbie Fallon was pulled in first in the four to six-year-old mare class and that is where he stayed with Cashelbay Kate, by his own Castlebay Prince, winner of the 2017 stallion class at this venue.

Alaoise Halpin collected the blue rosette for second with Saoirse Cailin (Ben Bán Cracker Jack – Cloughbrack Lily), ahead of Peter O’Toole with his own Castle Pippa (Glencarrig Knight – Village Linnet).

QUALITY MARES

Padraic Heanue has enjoyed a successful summer of showing with his new mare, the Padraic Hynes-bred Canal Lorraine and that success continued last Thursday when he won the 10 to 15-year-old class with the Frederiksminde Hazy Match-sired mare.

Henry O’Toole’s Castle Pearl (Janus – Castle Melody) stood second when handled by his son Michael, ahead of Padraic Hynes with Canal Lady (Frederiksminde Hazy Match – Canal Linnet).

Winners of this class in 2016 with Lackragh Beauty, who went on to be champion, Fiona and Thomas Grimes won the final class of the day when Lishín Star was pulled forward first in the 16 years and over section. The mare is by former Clifden champion Glencarrig Prince out of Dunlewey Lisheen Liath.