A GOOD mix of exhibitors and spectators, all Clydesdale enthusiasts, attended the Co Londonderry Horse Breeding Society’s 54th Clydesdale foal show at the Ballymena Livestock Market on Saturday, December 10th.

Judge for the day was Tony Bull from the renowned Arclid Stud in Cheshire whose overall award winner was the show’s senior champion, Croaghmore Maureen, a home-bred yearling filly exhibited by Sandra Henderson from Ballycastle.

The bay, who is by the 2010 Cawdor Cup winner Muirton Sabre, is out of the Glebeview Sir Charles mare Croaghmore Roxy and is thus a full-sister to this year’s Cawdor Cup-winning stallion, Muirton Spirit. During the summer showing season, Croaghmore Maureen won three championships and four reserve championships.

In 2021, she stood reserve overall champion at this show, a position which 12 months later was filled by Bratlach Sergeant who was shown for breeder John Drummond by Jill McAllister. Winner also of the foal championship and best opposition sex title, this senior colt is a son of Bratlach Mollinhillhead Gladiator and was bred by his Bangor exhibitor out of Bratlach Alisa.

The reserve senior champion was the two-year-old filly class winner, Garvagh farrier David Patterson’s Agivey First Hope, who is by Roeshall Apollo out of Agivey Sophie (by Roeshall Calypso), while the reserve foal champion was Geoffrey and Lesley Tanner’s Downhill Doris, winner of the senior filly foal class and also of the best presented animal award. This daughter of Eskechraggan Ernest is out of the Carnaff Perfection mare Downhill Daisy.

Other class winners were Nicholas Jenkins’s three-year-old Carnaff Churchill Sir James bay Knockmore Sam (three-year-old and upwards geldings), Jimmy Massey’s Carrickmannon Casanova (yearling colt or gelding), Messrs Hannas’ Muirton Sabre bay Macfin Majesty (junior colt coal) and Sandra Henderson’s Croaghmore Daisy (junior filly foal). The last-named is another bay by Muirton Sabre who stands for part of the breeding season with the Hanna family at their Macfin Clydesdales Stud near Ballymoney.

The seven-strong young handlers’ class was won by 18-year-old Flintshire native Edward Leverett, who attends this show every year, ahead of Finn Todd, winner of the junior young handlers’ class at the World Clydesdale Show in Aberdeen in October, and Kristina McLernon. Qualifying for the Clydesdale Horse Society young handlers’ championship at the 2023 Royal Highland Show was Harvey Taggart.

Foal and Reserve Overall Champion – Bratlach Sergeant with Jill McAllister, owner John Drummond, judge Tony Bull and sponsor Craig Hanna \ Amanda Stewart Photography

The CLHBS foal show kicks off the 2022/23 young handlers’ championship which will continue throughout the summer show season. Castlerock-based Todd, a 10-year-old nephew of Geoffrey Tanner, landed the 2021/22 title with McLernon finishing reserve.

The Society is indebted to Mart owners J.A. McClelland and Jim Beggs, also to sponsors A. Diamond & Son, Millburn Vets, Steele Farm Supplies, Pollock Car Sales, The Clydesdale Horse Society, Jervis Nutt, Kenneth Irwin (Bluegrass Horse Feeds), Wendy Holmes (Bratwell Clydesdales), Geoffrey and Lesley Tanner (Downhill Clydesdales) and to those CLHBS members who annually contribute towards special prizes down through the classes.