THE Ward Union Hunt’s Antler Challenge was held last Sunday at Primrose Park where, in front of a large crowd, Johnny Drake, one of the day’s organisers, won the feature race for the second year running on the Irish Sport Horse gelding Portphilip Quality.

Following the tactics he had successfully employed 12 months previously, Drake was up front throughout on his 13-year-old OBOS Quality 004 gelding, but things didn’t go entirely to the 2024 plan. “I kicked on early and was about a fence ahead, when I got unseated at the 27th of the 36 fences,” reported Drake.

“Luckily, I held on to the horse and remounted (had the parting of the ways come a fence later, he would not have been permitted to do so). At this stage, four or five others were catching up on me. Louise O’Brien (Tipperary) was right alongside going down to the last, but she was unseated, and we did the double!” said a delighted Drake, who was cheered home by his wife, Sarah Kelly, and their children Kingsley, Riley and Rowynn.

No doubt, and deservedly so, Johnny will be supporting Sarah today, as she competes on his ISH mare Wilhelmina Q in the EI100 (Amateur) at Tyrella.

Portphilip Quality, who was bred in Co Tipperary by Bernadette Boland out of the Chair Lift mare Chair Haven and is officially owned by Sarah, was first produced on the Eventing Ireland circuit by George Russell, with Johnny taking over the ride in late summer 2018. The combination had just the one outing last year, winning a two-runner EI110 (Amateur) at Lisgarvan House in May.

Drake not only won the Challenge on Sunday but, again, was the first Ward Union Hunt member home. Last year, he picked up a third award, but the rules were changed so that one participant could only win two prizes, so that for the rider on the first non-thoroughbred home went to the second-placed Luke Burke-Ott and the six-year-old Gary. Luke, who hunts with the Duhallows and has ridden three point-to-point winners, was well-placed when falling on his first appearance in the race last year.

First lady home

Although dropping down a place from 2024, Tatianna Ormiston of the Ballymacad Foxhounds was once again the first lady home on the home-bred Cherrymount Bruno, a 14-year-old grey gelding.

The first veteran rider home in 11th place was Aidan Bell of the Holestone Farmer Bloodhounds on board the 11-year-old bay gelding Georgie, while The Ormonds’ Graham Kenny was presented with the prize for the highest-placed heavyweight rider, having finished 12th on his ISH mare Ballyogan Silver Cruise, a nine-year-old by Numero Cruise out of a Fast Silver mare.

The Junior Challenge was won by Callum Crabbe, who hunted all season with both the Wards and the South Tyrones; he partnered the six-year-old Ollie. Placed behind Callum were Siobhan Crowley of the Coolnakilla Harriers on Billy, local rider Dara O’Sullivan (Fingal Harriers) with Paudie and Paddy Finnegan riding Roger Rabbit. Paddy, whose father Ollie is huntsman of the Fingals, won the turn-out prize.

The gate-jumping competition ended in a tie between the South Tyrones’ Jordan Parr and the Westmeath Harriers’ Dean Enright, who both cleared 1.70m. The tug-of-war competition, which attracted a lot of spectators, was won by the Wicklows.

Callum Crabbe and Reese Holohan are neck and neck in the final stages of the junior class at the Ward Union Hunt's Antlers Challenge \ Mark Wiseman

“It was a super day and not just because I won!” said Crabbe. “We had a great entry (both races were fully-filled by mid-January), wonderful sponsorship and a massive crowd of spectators on the day. Of course, we are all indebted to Joey and Emma Moore, who opened their farm to so many people, horses, vehicles and dogs!”

Drake may have been happy with the day and result, but the person going around with the biggest smile on her face all day was Ward Union honorary secretary Jill Carberry, whose son Adam had surprised her that morning by arriving home unexpectedly from Australia. Hopefully, he’ll now do groom for her during the hunter trials season.