IMAGINE a competition contested by a variety of horses from a multiple Grade 1 winner with a rating of 181 to a 12-time non-winner with a rating of 30, and every variety in between. The start list for the annual Racehorse to Riding Horse class at the RDS is just such a collection.

As racehorses they earned in excess of three million euros for an average of 178,000 euros but the median earnings of the seventeen is actually 14,000! While the list includes Gold Cup and Grand National winners, there is a strong representation from the bigger group of thoroughbreds, those who carry the dreams of their breeders, but not very far.

The concept of the Racehorse to Riding Horse class has attracted some comment about the influence of celebrity on the outcome. We have seen some very high-profile winners. This year will see an almost equal split between racecourse out-performers and a strong list of racecourse “maidens” – by my calculation there are seven non-winners on the racecourse in the start list.

Horse population

This is a Democrat v Republican, red corner versus blue corner type argument. The category of contest probably needed the high profile horses to draw a crowd, to rise to prominence and to encourage participants. The horse population probably needs to see some of the under-achievers from a racing viewpoint rise to great heights in these classes. If you can get a good vantage point on Saturday next (warning: there will be a large, interested crowd) you will see how some of the participants adapt smoothly to the demands of the show ring, with all the noise and bustle of a championship racecourse but with very little opportunity for the horses to burn off some of the ensuing adrenaline. It is a test of both horse and rider in that sense, and some of the racing lesser lights will actually show brilliantly, while there will usually be a celebrity who has a Hollywood moment implying “Do you know who I am?”

The horses were trained by a wide variety of trainers with the household names of Mullins/Elliott/de Bromhead and Cromwell balanced by Cahills, Cullens, Ryans, Flannerys. Tom Taaffe has a runner. This tells the story of both opportunity and longevity.

Growing population

There is a couple of six-year-olds and I think the oldest is nineteen. Neither of the six-year-olds cut much dash on the track so for them this pursuit is supremely important. They can enjoy a long career in a more appropriate lifestyle. The oldest was indeed a top performer on the racecourse but has been competing in these classes for many years with much success.

This all sounds like a puzzle for you to solve – hints but no names! You must investigate for yourself. My notes include comments such as “ran four, finished in one” or “ran in seven, PU in five”. One is complimented by a note saying “ran in 16, no wins but no falls”. It would seem odd to assess the competitors based on past achievements in a different discipline. To do so is to miss the point entirely. These horses are at the forefront of a growing population of horses which can enjoy a high quality of life on new terms.

Maybe another reason for coyness is that our own Peter Roe has one on the start list, which qualified at Ballyfoyle and brought great pride when winning at Ossory Show, which is the oldest show of its kind in the country. This brings to mind the deeper issues at stake here – the precious place the horse occupies in Irish society, the deep roots in rural traditions, the opportunity for everyone involved in the broader horse world to have a consistent message of care and love for the horse. To have a showcase such as this, deep in the city, among our friends in the sport horse world, at the historic RDS, this is not only a highlight of the year for many, it is at the core of any discussions around the use of horses for sport. To win those arguments will require all who work with horses to work together. See you Saturday!