Margie McLoone

COMBER’s Lesley Webb, who won the hunter championship last year on Dancing Queen, ruled herself out of contention on Wednesday when leaving the Main Arena early with the very inexperienced Earl Of Grenane.

However, she enjoyed plenty of success on Thursday in Horse Ring 1 at Balmoral Park where she first retained the cob championship with Sam and Sheelagh McAteer’s eight-year-old chesnut gelding Randalstown Designer Stubble, winner of the lightweight class.

The McAteers, whose five-year-old Randalstown Silverstone finished third in the heavyweight section to the reserve champion, Ann Regan’s eight-year-old Barnstormer, produced their title winner from home with Webb just sitting up in competition.

Graduates of the exhibitors’ Co Antrim yard have been in excellent form of late with Robert Walker taking the reserve sash at Royal Windsor on Friday with the five-year-old Randalstown Rolex. The winner of Balmoral’s maxi class was Laura Bell’s nine-year-old dappled grey gelding Mr Bumble Bell.

Webb’s next success came in the ladies’ side-saddle class on Yvonne Pearson’s 12-year-old Ricardo Z gelding Double Take with whom she recently won the Festival working hunter championship at Cavan.

The bay, who will resume eventing at the back end of the season, will be aimed at the all-Ireland ridden hunter championship at Ardrahan in July and at astride and side-saddle classes at Tattersalls. It was good to see Philippa Scott, whose work keeps her out of the saddle all week, finish second with her nine-year-old grey gelding Le Polar Bear.

Among the animals Webb will be riding at next month’s Royal Highland Show is Laura Smyth’s nine-year-old bay gelding Carnsdale Peacemaker who won the Event Technical Services riding horse class. Early next week, Webb and her support crew are heading to Tattersalls where she rides Pearson’s Kilpatrick Lord in the CCI1* class.