THE final chance to qualify for this year’s Dublin Horse Show young horse show jumping classes took place at The Meadows Equestrian in Lurgan on Wednesday.

Once again a large field turned out for each of the four divisions and only the best earned themselves a place in the prestigious finals at Ballsbridge next month.

With the sad news filtering through on Thursday morning that Dr Noel Cawley had passed away after an illness, the results of the six-year-old class were all the more poignant.

The Kildare breeder’s home-bred BP Casablanca took victory in the competitive class. The gelding is by Casall out of the Cruising mare Cruise Leaf, owned jointly by Cawley and GBBS Intl Ltd.

Dr Cawley also owned and bred Laurina, who finished third here under Leah Stack. Winner of the five-year-old championship last year in Dublin and by Stakkato Gold, the bay is out of one of Cawley’s favourite mares, Rincarina (Cruising) who herself won the six-year-old final in the past under Greg Broderick.

Jack Ryan made a fleeting visit from Belgium and qualified two horses in this division, finishing second with his mother Marguerite Ryan’s Mondavi, a bay mare by Tyson who was bred by Ronan Tynan out of You Two Delilia (Warrenstown You 2).

Owner and breeder Jane Russell’s Carnlea Lui Be (Luidam x V.Alba 69) finished fourthBB under Edward Little, while Eddie Moloney rode his own home-bred Tick A Lu (Luidam x Clinton) to fifth place.

The Patrick Breen-bred Carneyhaugh Unison (Cornet Obolensky x Don Juan De La Bouverie) claimed sixth for owner/rider Clem MacMahon.

The next three places, all jumping double clears, went to Sandra Duffy’s Ringa v/h Kampagnehof (Dublin Van Overis Z x Karinga) and Jake Hunter, Sarah Agnew’s Castleconnell Candy Man (Sligo Candy Boy x Mermus R), and Nicola FitzGibbon riding her own Barry McCann-bred Gracefield Apollo (Luidam x Coriall).

The final three qualifying slots went to Stephen Murphy and She’s So Curious (Luidam x Lux Z) in 10th for owner Penny Murphy and breeder Brian Murphy, while Jack Ryan guided Seamus Drea’s Cornascriebe Emerald (Emerald x Ballinvella) into 11th for breeder Carol Armstrong.

Shane Goggins and CBI Invictus (Tyson x Diamant De Semilly) secured the final spot for owner Keville Equestrian Ltd and breeder Carroll Brothers Ltd.

Seven/eight-year-olds

Greg Broderick’s Ballypatrick Stables once again showed the strength and depth of their string when they secured another win, this time in the seven and eight-year-olds.

Max O’Reilly Hyland’s eight-year-old BP Limitless (Elvis Ter Putte x Laughton’s Flight), bred by Austin Broderick and ridden by Niamh McEvoy, proved best of the 65 strong start list, recording a jump-off time of 43.81 to take the victory.

Sorcha Hennessy’s Inlaws Manolo (Corland x Lord Z) took second place with a clear in 45.17. Bred by Tomas Hester, he is ridden by Derek McConnell. Ger O’Neill qualified Tullogher Lady Liberty (Indoctro x Indorado) into third place for owner/breeders Ciara and Rita Walsh McIntyre.

Pat Peare’s WEC Mermus Rua (Mermus R x Abalou Verte), bred by Ray Browne, took fourth with Paddy O’Donnell on board, while Francis Connors rode his own John Warner-bred Carrigshawn Vendi Royal (Dondoctro Ryal K x Ars Vivendi) into fifth.

Best of the seven-year-olds in sixth was Patrick Hickey with William Hickey’s German-bred Claudine Fly (Come and Fly x Chap I), while Daren Hopkins and Ballywalters Stables’ French-bred Grifondor Du Rouet took seventh.

The final qualifying place went to Nicole Kershaw and Keonan Stables’ eight-year-old mare Fury (Cornet Obolensky x Aventyno Z), bred by Linzi Johnston.