THE fifth Kildare Performance Hunter Show took place last Sunday at Punchestown racecourse. This is a show like no other in Ireland. Run by a sub-committee of the Kildare Hunt Club, it consists of a course of obstacles normally found on the Irish hunting field, the lonely places where it is normally just you and your hunter, where there are no cheering crowds or cameras to capture glory - where you are only as good as the next ditch you meet. The Kildare performance hunter show, looks to reward the pluck and bravery of these horses and riders.

And so, on an unseasonably bright and warm morning, a group of Dutch visitors stepped over the thin white string that separated the course from spectator area. They looked somewhat out of place, wearing fine quilted jackets, cravats and ray-ban sunglasses and also a little bewildered; when the only creature comforts were the Moodycow burger trailer, a weather-beaten horse box for entries and two portaloos.

The visitors were welcomed by committee member Ronan Wilson and they declared that they were here to buy horses (23 were available for sale). They were told that they had come to the right place, that all the horses would take the challenge alone on the course but the Kildare Hunt had no involvement in sales and that all transactions were private. One of the Dutch men then asked if there was somewhere to take lunch later? Wilson advised to get to the Moodycow early, before the queue got long and rowdy with hunger.

First class of the day was the 100cm Young Hunter for four- and five-year-olds, sponsored by producer Rory Cleary and farrier Graham Dempsey. Marshall Linda Gillespie cast the eagle eye of a Garda, to match passport with microchip scanner. Show veteran and producer William Flood was first on course, making little of the first two efforts; a stone wall followed by rails.

Then it was onto number three, a small ditch and then an unexpected stop. William urged his horse forward but with no result, which came as a shock to the early spectators. Experience told William the game was up, and he retired without distressing his mount. This would be the first of a great many stops at this ditch.

The second class of the day was the 100cm Seasoned Hunter, sponsored by Dublin Products and Westwood Trailers Naas. This is always the largest and most popular class for horses six years old and upwards. Most riders made little of the hedges and rails presented to them, however an unexpected “bogie” appeared in the form of the soon to be dreaded “rath”. This was in fact the remnants of a fence from the 1991 Heineken international horse trials, 31 years ago it was called the “duck blind” but now only the circular drain runs around it.

Entry to this proved problematic to many riders, although Kildare Hunt rider Michelle Lucy rode a long approach to it and cleared both drains in determined style. However later in the course the double bank caused more shyness, prompting commentator Chris Ryan to speculate the broken hunting season to be the route of many problems observed, the crossfire of Covid and insurance bureaucracy.

It goes unreported where the Dutch visitors dined but by the afternoon they had loosened their cravats and enjoyed a long neck beer in the sunshine. A break was given for the hard working judges - Jill Reville of the Meath Hunt, Padraig Behan of the Limerick Harriers, Diarmuid Ryan, Sport horse producer.

It was during this break that an impromptu dog race took place. Rider Keith Broderick of the Ormonde Foxhounds had brought a mechanical lure and the spectators were urged to enter their dogs. A motley crew of competitors was compiled, which resulted in four classes; terrier dog, terrier Bitch, whippets and other breeds. A wooden rail was used as a finish line and the heats took place over a gruelling 70 metres.

Noted for their sport was the toy poodle pup who veered off course to try for a fallen burger. All was in vain, a young whippet left all the stumpies standing, as he took the supreme champion rosette.

Side saddle display treat

The crowd was then treated to a blistering side saddle display. The side saddle class had been scratched after only three entries had been taken. Riders Hazel Valentine (Kildare Hunt) and Alicia Devlin Byrne (East Wicklows) took to the pommels. Both ladies have the distinction of having competed at the side saddle event every year, with Alicia winning the jaw-dropping side saddle cross-country race in 2018. Their aim, to keep the art of side saddle alive, emphasising the purpose of its “modern” design was to allow a rider to jump and cross-country, not just to trot and canter over a flat showground.

It was for this thrill, that the Empress Elizabeth of Austria, had visited the Wards, Meaths and Kildares in the late 1870s. This tradition was truly demonstrated with today’s ladies riding “longsides” over the rails and banks with an occasional shout of “kick-on” travelling through the still and warm air of Punchestown.

The final act of the show was the Irish Equine Centre-sponsored 130cm Huntsman Class. First out was Jason McKeown on his eight-year-old Don’t Check (ISH). Jason had had his eye in earlier this year when he came fourth in the English Golden Button Race. Jason rode the first two elements with ease but after clearing the rails, two strides were met the white tape of number three, resulting in a sudden stop that caused Jason to land the other side on his feet.

Like the Young Hunter before, it would appear that the number three would be the unlucky number of this show. Second on the list of trouble was the vertical six bar gate of number 11, hung on light cups, it seemed to fall for every other hunter but the entry of 22 horses was quickly sorted, with the judges deciding on calling back eight to ride again.

The results of each class are below, with awards given by two breed organisations to the relative best breed in each class. The Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association, were represented by Kildare branch member Trish Young and the TIHA by Chris Ryan. The Kildare Performance Hunter Show closed with the sun still high in the sky, the Dutch contingent were rumoured to have bought three horses, but where the Dutch dined and which horses they bought will add to the mystery and cult of the Kildare Performance Hunter Show.

Results

Young Hunter

1, T.J. Foley, Hero (RID) - Balinagore Harriers, (Best RID)

2, Kyle Sullivan, Ballyegan Lad (RID) – Woodstown Harriers

3, Jason McKeown, Captain (RID) – Ward Union

4, Jodie Skelton, Ollie (ISH) – Carlow Farmers

5, Hughie Ryan, Malcolm (ISH) – Scarteen Hunt

6, Kevin Donohue, Crusade (ISH) – Ballymacad Foxhounds (Best TIHA)

Seasoned Hunter

1, Mark O’Connor, Stroller (CP x TB) – Wexford Foxhounds

2, Vincent Neville, Baily (RID) – Laois Foxhounds (Best RID)

3, Nadine Dunne, Kells Cross (RID) – Meath Hunt

4, Neasa Haverty, Oscar (ISH) – Tipperary/Galway Hunt (Best TIHA)

5, Alicia Devlin Byrne, Ballymoney Ollie (ISH) – East Wicklow Hunt

Huntsman Class

1, Jodie Skelton, Sam (ISH) - Carlow Farmers

2, Mark McIlroy, Hector (ISH) – Newry Hunt

3, Fergus Lawlor, Rev Ian (ISH) – Carlow Farmers

4, Tatianna Ormiston, Bruno (ISH) – Ballymacad Foxhounds

5, Kevin Donohue, Allenwood (ISH) – Ballymacad Foxhounds

Best TIHA Award - Tom Berney, Clovers Diamond Boy (ISH) – Kildare Foxhounds