YOUNG rider Shane Dalton is enjoying a fine run of form since relocating from the rebel county to take up a riding job at Gabriel Slattery’s Castlelawn Stud in Irishtown, Co Mayo. The 19-year-old Clonakilty native landed his first senior Grand Prix win last Sunday at Headford Gymkhana aboard Belfields Captain, who he has also qualified for the Dublin Horse Show.

Not content with his Grand Prix win, Dalton then went on to win the puissance on John Lee’s wall-jumping specialist, The Captain’s Touch, jumping 1.95m and also taking third on Chimay.

Galway showgrounds were a happy hunting ground for Dalton last week as he also qualified two six-year-old horses for the Dublin Horse Show at Galway Equestrian Centre when finishing second on his father’s Noel’s Horse and fourth on Kashino.

Following a very successful pony career, Dalton moved to Irishtown last September and has since taken up the ride on many of Slattery’s talented young horses. He has qualified no less than five horses for the RDS next month. Dalton is no stranger to the main arena at the Dublin venue, having won the 138cms pony final in 2011.

“This is a first Grand Prix win so I am delighted,” the young rider said after his winning round in Headford. “I have five horses qualified for Dublin, two in the 1.25/1.30 young rider class, Captain Junior in the five-year-olds and two six-year-olds that I qualified at Galway Equestrian Centre during the week. It’s been a great week for me,” he said.