IT was a very long session for the hard-working committee behind the St Luke’s Charity Derby Show held at the Kilronan Equestrian Centre last Sunday but, if they were tired, they were delighted too, as their decision to open up the event to horses this year resulted in a vastly-increased entry and thus increased funds for the Friends of St Luke’s.

The jumping action in the Derby Arena stopped for two Tiggy’s Trust championships – and lunch – during the day, the first being for the winners and reserves from both the horse and pony 60cm and 70cm classes. Here the champion, chosen by judges Philip Scott and George O’Malley, was Rita Dunne’s Kells Tattoo, winner earlier of the Becky Gibney 60cm pony class.

The 24-year-old coloured mare was ridden by the owner’s granddaughter Rosita Dunne, who turned 10 in April and whose dream is to ride at the Dublin Horse Show. Kells Tattoo, who was previously campaigned by Rosita’s elder sister Nadine, is a true multi-tasker, competing not just in performance classes, but in all Pony Club activities including mounted games. Standing reserve were the Lambay Stud 70cm pony Derby winners, Anna Brabazon and Cleo, with whom owner Ruth Hegarty won the Rockton Stud 70cm horse Derby.

Eline Kiernan finished alone on Wilkie in the Dawson family 60cm horse class, while the Treo Eile-sponsored thoroughbred Derby over a 70cm track was won by Marie Halstead on Not So Bad Lad. This eight-year-old Dylan Thomas gelding finished well down the field in a bumper and two hurdle races, when trained by the late Andy Lynch. The bay last ran in June 2021.

80cm-1m Championship

Moya Teeling claimed the 80cm to 1m Tiggy’s Trust championship with Shanbo Myles, on whom she had earlier won the Baldurgan Farm 90cm horse Derby. The Julianstown rider and her Shanbo Jimmy gelding finished fifth in the five to seven-year-old Connemara performance hunter final at last year’s Dublin Horse Show. Teeling and the grey, who was bred at his Shanbo Stud near Navan by Noel Farrell, are among the very large entry in today’s first qualifier for Dublin at Tullylish.

Drynam Riding Club member Aisling Wilson, winner of the AM Dressage Coaching 1m Derby, was beckoned into the reserve slot with Lady Pixie Jones, a traditional Irish Sport Horse mare by Clonswords Mr Jones. Grace Kerr won the Mr and Mrs O’Neill 80cm horse class with Cirrus de Aphanite. This eight-year-old Inverin Rocky gelding was bred by Lorli Higgins out of the dual German winner Cloudy Bay (Zilzal).

Thoroughbreds

Treo Eile sponsored the 80cm Derby for thoroughbreds, which was won by Marnie Crerar on Montana Grey, who she competes with Eventing Ireland at EI100 level. This 11-year-old Watar gelding finished well off the pace in a bumper and a maiden hurdle when trained in Britain by Emma Lavelle. His second and final start was at Warwick in 2019.

The three pony Derby winners were Alice Hartford with her mother Nuala’s 10-year-old dun Grade A show jumping mare Blennerville Surprise (The Lively Ladies 80cm class); Zara Byrne with the Connemara gelding Legends Mate (AMOS IT 90cm), a 12-year-old bay gelding by Lonsdale Legend; while the 1m Derby, sponsored by Anne Stanley, was won by Phoebe Horgan on the Connemara gelding Garvagh Moonlight Boy, a six-year-grey gelding by Monaghanstown Boy, another competing at Tullylish today.

Lead rein

The day’s action started with the lead rein pony Derby, where the winner was the in-form combination of Harriet Baker, who has been riding since she was 15 months old and has recently turned four, and the 15-year-old Welsh palomino gelding Cracker Jack. On Monday, this pair won the lead rein and most obedient pony leagues at Killossery Lodge Stud.

Doramic Tiles presented a cash prize and a rosette to the overall best turned-out combination at the different levels of competition at the St Luke’s Show.