THE Balmoral Show takes place from Wednesday to Saturday next at Balmoral Park and the class of most interest to readers of this column is the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association racehorse to riding horse class which is due to commence at 4pm in the Main Arena on Thursday.

The former four-time British champion jumps jockey Richard Johnson is the ride judge on this occasion with Co Carlow’s Willie Mullins filling the role of conformation judge. Willie and his wife Jackie looked on last year as their son Patrick (ride) and Noel Chance (conformation) selected the former Jessica Harrington-trained Woodland Opera as their champion with the Billy McGladdery-bred 21-year-old Mossbank standing reserve.

Unfortunately, no list of ‘runners’ has been supplied for the class this year but we believe that the 12-year-old Robin Des Champs gelding Woodland Opera, ridden for owners Valerie and Diana Cooper by Jamie Buckley, is returning to defend his title.

Irish riders compete at Badminton

HAVING finished ninth of 45 on Calmaro when making his debut in the five-star competition at the Land Rover Kentucky horse trials last weekend, Killyleagh’s Joseph Murphy is now competing at Badminton.

Today, riding the Way Forward Syndicate’s Cesar V, Murphy will tackle the cross-country phase of the five-star competition as will Dromore native Susie Berry on John The Bull and Hillsborough’s Clare Abbott with the Rosbotham family’s home-bred Jewelent.

There are five other Irish riders in action including Co Meath’s Elizabeth Power, sister of the recently-retired National Hunt jockey Robert Power. She competes on the former racehorse Soladoun, a striking 15-year-old grey gelding by Madoun who won once on the flat in his native France.