AFTER a week without qualifiers, all roads led to Clonmel Show last weekend for the next chance to qualify for the Tattersalls Ireland Treo Eile Showing Pathway Series final, which will take place in September. There were 26 combinations entered over the two sections and it was left to Beanie Sturgis (ride judge) and David Bertram-Lawton (conformation) to decide who was to get their ticket to the final.

The Open section was first to show and, with a class of 12, the judges, both visiting from the UK, took their time in choosing their final lineup. It was a familiar face on the circuit, Vincent Phelan and the eight-year-old gelding Askforbigmoney, who took pole position.

Phelan and the gelding by Ask have had a stellar season so far and are one of the lucky few combinations, who not only have a place secured in the final in September, but have also earned their ticket to the Dublin Horse Show next month.

Following on from their win in Mullingar last month, Aileen Dwyer and Hollymount Dream stood in second place. The six-year-old gelding, owned and bred by Peter Roe, is by Westerner and ran four times last year, when in training with Ciaran Murphy.

Alice Fitzgerald and her horse Loaded won the Novice Section of the Treo Eile qualifier at Clonmel \ Radka Preislerova

Novice winner

In the Novice section, it was Alice Fitzgerald and Loaded, who stood top of the lineup. The 11-year-old gelding had three runner-up placings in the last year’s series, so it was wonderful to see them get his first win in the show ring. Alice bred Loaded and sold him as a yearling, before he went on to run 44 times on the track in Britain, Ireland and Hong Kong. Fitzgerald followed his career and deemed him a “firm favourite” of hers and brought him back home when he finished racing in Hong Kong.

Amelia Turner and The Big Mahler made their showing debut a successful one by finishing second. The seven-year- old gelding, by Mahler, ran twice on the point-to-point track, on one occasion with Turner in the saddle.

The series has been well-supported to date and is really showcasing not only the versatility of the thoroughbred, but also the efforts being put into giving them a career after racing by their owners and riders. There are three qualifiers left in the series; Wicklow Show (July 24th), Tattersalls Show (July 27th) and Iverk Show (August 24th). Further details are available on the Treo Eile website: www.treoeile.com.