Newcastle West

SUNDAY, June 23rd, is an opportunity to meet many of the characters featured in the hugely popular ‘West Limerick tour’ series, that appeared in The Irish Fieldseveral weeks ago, when Newcastle West hosts its annual show.

It’s a new June date this year for the show, which takes place at Shanagarry, just 1km outside the town on the Killarney road (V42V886). The show was launched recently in the grounds of Desmond Castle, in the middle of Newcastle West, when Ger’s Mobile Farm came to town for the occasion.

The RDS potential event horse qualifier, scheduled to be held yesterday (Friday), is Newcastle West’s traditional curtain-raiser and no better venue than Terence Leonard’s Ballynoe Castle farm, where the great Ballynoecastle RM was sourced from. The most recent Dublin champions, both owned by John Bannon, qualified at Newcastle West.

Qualifier completed, the agricultural show then takes place next Sunday (June 23rd) in a corner of the Golden Vale that has produced numerous champions throughout the show’s 105-year history.

Newcastle West hosts Red Mills Champion of Champions qualifiers for hunter and riding horses and there’s a brand-new cup on offer for this year’s working hunter champion.

This year sees the revival of young horse classes with various qualifiers too for All-Ireland yearling, two and three-year-old championships. Another qualifier, of interest to Irish Draught breeders, is the KWD Munster championship qualifier for Irish Draught foals.

West Limerick has produced numerous international show jumping riders and horses, from Army Equitation legends of yore, right up to this generation of Paul O’Shea, Kian Dore and Robyn Moran.

From the regular pony competitions, through to Sportsman classes, a Cavan Classic five-year-old qualifier and Munster Development league qualifier, there’s a show jumping class to suit many next Sunday.

Young handler, lead rein and a range of Irish Pony Society (IPS) classes are also in the Newcastle West schedule. Entries can be made online at: www.newcastlewestshow.com

Camaraderie: Annie Prendergast (right) congratulates Susie Roche after her Carrowgar Henry won the supreme ridden championship at Charleville Show in 2023 \ Susan Finnerty

Charleville

The Munster circuit moves the following weekend to Charleville (June 29th-30th), one of the country’s few remaining two-day shows. Its expansive show site is right beside the main Charleville-Cork road.

Ponies, as always, have the entire Saturday (June 29th) to themselves, with the show classes and championships building up to the evening atmosphere-filled supreme finale.

There’s an added bonus for this year’s Charleville supreme pony champion, as that result qualifies the winner from this north Cork show for the new All-Ireland Supreme Pony Championship, to be held at Killusty Pony Show on July 6th.

Classes for in-hand, ridden and working hunter - its classes include the famous Charleville bank - and Connemara ponies are on offer and, on Sunday, the action moves to horses.

Like Newcastle West, Charleville is another qualifier for Showing Ireland’s Champion of Champions final, sponsored by Red Mills, and the overall supreme ridden horse championship receives the Dick Johnson Perpetual Trophy, named in honour of the great Charleville Show stalwart.

Monymusk Stud are the traditional sponsors of the young horse championship at Charleville, one of many ways Kate Jarvey, breeder of Paris Olympics-selected Colorado Blue, has supported the Munster equestrian scene.

Lucky

For the past two years, Charleville has also proved the lucky qualifier for the eventing section of The Irish Field Breeders’ Championship: Patrick Wafer’s Parkmore Evita and her Tyson filly foal won at the RDS in 2022, then last year, it was Déise owner Richard Drohan, who broke a 30-year wait to win the big one with his Golden Moments and her News Anchor colt.

There are also opportunities to qualify for the Dublin ladies and intermediate side-saddle classes and the 2025 Northern Ireland Festival from the Charleville working hunter horse classes.

Charleville runs a well-oiled show, with a decent catalogue and full results availability. Early bird entries (by Monday, June 17th) will avoid a late entry fee before entries close fully on the following Monday, June 24th.

See: www.charlevilleshow.com

Strike A Pose: Ride judge Leah Kent with one of the presence-filled entries in the Racehorse to Riding Horse class at Longford last year \ Susan Finnerty

Longford

Like Charleville’s Ian Doyle, Cllr Gerry Hagan can heave a sigh of relief after this week’s local election result before the poll topper prepares to host Longford Show on Sunday, July 7th.

This is the second year that the show will be held on the Hagan’s land at Enybegs (N39 WK53) and again, it’s another show with a real country flavour.

Declan Nerney, stallion nominations and a massage are amongst the attractions and prizes on offer, with Bridge House Stud, Cloontuskert Stud and Derryronane Stud nominations, plus an N.D Equus Massage Therapy treatment prize and an overall prize fund of €10,000 for the horse and pony classes.

The working hunter section has a €1,500 prize fund on offer, sponsored by Technimark Longford, associated with well-known show jumping owner Colm Cuffe and Jordan Kilkenny.

Kilkenny sponsors the working hunter championship and his late grandfather - the well-known stallion master and show horse producer Frank - is recalled by the presentation of a memorial cup.

In the horse showing classes, qualifiers include the TIHA Limerick Lady, the A Browne All-Ireland filly foal and Leitrim Breeders’ championships. In ridden horse classes, the explosion in popularity of side-saddle and Racehorse To Riding Horse classes sees affiliated side-saddle and Treo Eile classes taking place.

And, of course, there’s a range of show jumping classes, which is entirely fitting as Longford County Show is where a young Eddie Macken competed at one of his earliest shows.

Entries for all Longford horse and pony classes close next Friday (June 21st) with Bernie Whyte, now the equine section secretary. Full schedule and entry forms available at www.longfordshow.ie