THE calibre of combinations competing in the Children on Horses division at the Dublin Horse Show has excelled in recent years and along with the individual Championship, the Team Champion is a real crowd-puller. At this year’s qualifiers, there were 16 places up for grabs and each round was hard fought.

In the first round hosted at Ard Chuain, some 38 combinations battled it out for one of the four tickets on offer. Leading the victory lap here was Adam Adair and Remake Lande when they produced three clear rounds. Triple clears were also delivered by Meath’s Molly Taylor and RNH Parisian Blue along with Mullingar’s Ted Fagan and Bella. Jackson Brosnan and Bitcoin were fastest of the four-faulters to take the last ticket.

A familiar name in show jumping circles, the Keane family from Co Kilkenny will be represented at Dublin by Brona Keane who took the win aboard Quality Diamond, one of three double clears in this round. Keane was chased home by Molly Gleeson who was riding Jessica Burke’s CHF Gem Leaf who also kept the poles in place as did Sam Widger and Grantstown Charmer. Meath’s Kacey-Lou Carberry lodged the fastest time of the day with her father Paul’s mount Brandonview First Edition and, with four faults on board, took the last ticket.

The pressure was on in the penultimate round at Barnadown with 40 combinations up for the challenge and from those, five triple clears were delivered. Not short on experience, Harry Rush on Beach Buggy took the win. Rush was pursued by the equally as determined Conrad Sweeney and Domino Van De Valhoeve, only fractions of a second behind. Also claiming tickets on the day were Alanna Keeling and HHS Blue Moon and Ciara Ryan and Chica of De Rocky Mounten Z.

Lily P. Slattery missed out on her place at Barnadown but she went to the final qualifier at Cavan where she took the first qualifying ticket with Captain Candy Man, fastest of five triple clears. Alexandria McMahon put in a great performance with AHG Whiterock High Dam to take her ticket. It will be a busy week at Dublin for Ruben Foley as he also secured a place with Carrick. The last ticket of the day was secured by Zoe Mellett and Rock Hill Girl.