ON the day the RDS officially announced the cancellation of much of its showing programme for next month’s National Equestrian Championships, the first qualifier for the young event horse, junior/young horse and native breed performances classes, conducted through the Young Eventhorse Series, was held at Tullylish.

The entry for the young event horses’ section at the Stevenson family’s Co Armagh venue was severely impacted by the qualifier’s clash with the international at Kilguilkey with just 20 horses forward in total. However, as this was the first time that all these performance qualifiers were held at the same venue on the same day, it gave the organisers an insight into any problems which might arise.

Suzanne Hagan certainly had one in the nine-runner five-year-old division as, while she led after dressage with Loughview Commander (67.5), on whom she had finished second in the EI100 at Glaslough the previous Saturday, the Cobra bay was wearing a fly veil. This is contrary to the rules of YES! and so the combination was eliminated. Given permission to proceed hors concours, Hagan and Loughview Commander put in a faultless round of jumping and with a high score for presentation around the triangle, they would have won.

“I’d no idea you weren’t allowed them, especially since you can fit them in all events,” said Hagan. “It was annoying being eliminated as he would have won but it was a great experience for him and luckily I hadn’t travelled miles to get there. I’m not sure if I will do another qualifier. I’d like to but they are very far away and, as I’m busy as usual juggling kids, horses, work, etc, I’m not sure I can afford a day away.”

On a total of 270.2 points, Janie Cairns would have qualified for the final at Lamberstown anyway but, following the elimination of Loughview Commander, she now does so as a winner with Richard McLoughlin’s home-bred S Creevagh Ferro mare, Lady Ferro. On the most recent of five starts, the bay finished third in an EI100 at Hillcrest late last month.

An Irish Sport Horse, as were all but one of her rivals, Lady Ferro is the last recorded produce out of the Bustomi mare Glenluce who show jumped herself and is dam of, among others, the Askoll Peter Pan mare Glendew (CCI3*-S).

McLoughlin also owned and bred the third-placed traditionally-bred Happy Vision (266.5), a chesnut gelding by Road To Happiness out of Glen Classic Lady (by Classic Vision), who was ridden by Emily Corbett – as he has been in his three EI outings to date.

The Rainbow Quest stallion Road To Happiness is sire also of the Ian McCluggage-partnered Drumnaconnell Kobie (268.4) who finished second for owner/breeder Lawrence Patterson. This brown gelding had the highest percentage of thoroughbred blood in the class being out of the Kings Master mare, Kings Jewel. Under Patrick Whelan, he won three EI90 classes last year and was second in an EI100 at Rosanna this season.

American owner Carrie Meehan had hoped to come over for the Dublin Horse Show specifically for the Young Event Horse classes but, hopefully, she will enjoy a visit to Lambertstown instead as her MBF Silver Bridge won the four-year-old qualifier on an impressive score of 301.6.

Overall second in the Stepping Stones league for his age group and produced at her Kilmessan yard by rider Nicola Ennis, the bay Silvano gelding was bred in Co Kilkenny by John Murphy out of the unraced Beneficial mare My Rochestown Lady. As his name would suggest, MBF Silver Bridge spent some time in the care of Meabh Bolger and Brian Flynn.

The only other horse to qualify from this class was the second-placed OBOS Quality 004 gelding VSH Quality Venu (288.4) who was ridden by Jonny Mulligan for owner Sandra Hamilton. The bay was bred in Co Clare by David Williams out of the Mecklenburg mare Valina De Venue.

Although there were only five starters in the Junior/Young Rider section, the three finishes all qualified. The winner on a score of 306 points was another OBOS Quality 004 gelding, Killea Quality Cruise who has been placed in the first six in four of his five EI starts. Ridden by Bryan Bourke for his father Donal, the tall five-year-old bay is out of the Cruising mare Molougha Cruise Hill and was bred in Co Cork by Thomas Doyle.

While I can understand why many organisers now use the Equipe system to run shows/events, it’s a great pity that, in following the continental tradition, dam names are not listed but those of damsires are.