ON one hand, the Wild Atlantic Way weather didn’t cause the cancellation of Louisburgh Show as it had last year. Then again, last Sunday showed how hardy are both the inhabitants of this idyllic corner of Mayo and exhibitors when the rainfall picked up during the afternoon.

A good crowd, swelled by tourists, sheep and dog class followers, had already gathered by then on the show field, beside Carrowmore Beach.

Another popular attraction was an impressive display of vintage cars by local businessman John O’Malley, whose UK-based business supplies vehicles for films and TV programmes, such as ‘Top Gear’.

“I grew up in Louisburgh and every summer was spent playing down at the river with friends. We built a raft once and that was it, we were sailing to New York. We got as far downriver as Carrowmore and changed our minds!”

Amy Phelan with David O’Toole’s Willow Rose, the Irish Draught champion at Louisburgh Show \ Susan Finnerty

David O’Toole’s Willow Rose sailed to the Irish Draught championship win, having first won the Louisburgh Irish Draught mare feature championship, repeating her win in 2022.

Back then, she had her Louisburgh Irish Draught foal champion Lady Willow Breeze, by Inisfree The Holy Grail, at foot. Last Sunday, the now two-year-old filly again followed her dam, but this time in the overall Irish Draught championship result. Here, she stood reserve to Willow Rose, which made for a unique dam and daughter double.

This year’s Irish Draught foal championship was won by Eddie Brogan with his Carrabawn Cross filly out of the Gortfree Hero mare, Anthony’s Choice. The Crossmolina family had a busy day, between the Irish Draught classes, where they also qualified for a range of All-Ireland finals, and the adjoining pony ring.

Fancy dress

It was a combined family effort for their ‘Wizard of Oz’ team in the fancy dress class. “‘Dorothy’ was my niece Sarah and the ‘Tin Man’ was my daughter Ruby,” explained Eddie’s daughter, Andrea.

Andrea Brogan’s niece Sarah (Dorothy) and daughter Ruby (Tinman) with The Lion (Scarecrow went to the beach) at Louisburgh \ Susan Finnerty

Tiernan Gill, who won his first rosette in the Louisburgh lead rein class, continued his strike rate at the show when his Flogas Syb (Calvino Z) was John Corbett and Jimmy Canavan’s young horse champion. Champion at Mullingar’s Showing Show of the Year, the grey roan two-year-old has had another successful season.

Standing reserve was Oliver Murphy’s three-year-old gelding class winner: Candy Carraig, shown by Liam Lynskey.

A recent winner of the RDS potential event horse qualifier at Tubberbride, the Sligo Candy Boy reserve champion is out of Step On It, a Power Blade mare previously shown by Gill and bred by Sligo vet, Jim Tempany.

Mayo Brothers In Arms: Liam Lynskey and Tiernan Gill with the Louisburgh reserve and champion young horses Candy Carraig and Flogas Syb \ Susan Finnerty

Back-to-back wins

Another Mayo double, and back-to-back wins after Ballina the previous Sunday, was recorded by Martin and Mary Murphy. The Swinford couple won again with Castlegate Dead Ringer (broodmare) and Castlegate Perfect Illusion (ridden Draught).

In a smart move by show chairman Tommy Bennett and his committee, the popular cob classes - now the mainstay of many shows - moved over from the horse ring’s packed schedule to Ring 2. Here, local Amanda O’Toole notched up another double with her in-hand and ridden cob winner, Geri Mai.

Patricia Hoey’s pony champions were Annette McMullon’s Hollycreek Sir Sidney, who won several in-hand and ridden classes with Annette’s daughter Caitlin. Bred in Enniskeane by Josephine O’Driscoll, the brown 12-year-old gelding is by Astral Heartbreaker.

Marian Judge’s part-bred Welsh mare Waterglades Heidi was champion at Ballina the previous Sunday with the McMullons’ Hollycreek Sir Sidney in reserve and those placings were reversed at Louisburgh.

Welsh title

Another Irish-bred pony, by Chinook Limelight, Heidi is the only solid coloured offspring of her coloured dam Waterglades Gemini.

She also took the Welsh title for her busy owner-breeder, as Marian is the secretary of her local Riverstown Show, which took place just the previous day. A long-promised trip to Louisburgh Show and walk on the nearby beach was her perfect post-show antidote.

Reserve Welsh champion was Leana Bartelink’s handsome cob Coppathorne My Mathias (Eglwysfach Matheuas).

The third Louisburgh showring is devoted to Connemara ponies. Again, while the clash with Ballyconneely had some impact, it was a quality selection for judges Noel Nee and Peter O’Malley to sift through.

Their champion was Cathy Stuffle’s Copperbeech Diva, the winner of the four to six-year-old mare class, ahead of Michael O’Malley’s Clifden-bound Cregduff Charlotte (Drumbad Fletcher Moss). His reserve champion was shown by Rachael Byrne for the Ballinrobe owner.

Cathy Stuffle and her Louisburgh Connemara champion Copperbeech Diva, with Croagh Patrick in the background \ Susan Finnerty

“She’s [Copperbeech Diva] in foal to Slackport Prince, he was Clifden supreme champion in 2018. We got her as a yearling, after I had seen her on Copperbeech Ponies’ Facebook page and fell in love with her instantly and knew I had to have her,” said a delighted Cathy.

“I contacted them to see if she was for sale and to our delight she was, so my daughter and myself went and bought her and we’re so happy to bring her home to Ballyconneely. What can I say, she certainly lives up too her name, Diva!

“Kathryn rides her and schooled her herself and they’ve done a couple of ridden classes. She won her class last year at Ballyconneely performance show.”

Frank Flannelly, a supporter of donkey classes, had a great run in the closing donkey classes. Transport options have surely changed in West Mayo, from the original four-legged donkey and Irish Draught ‘tractors’, up to the Ferrari in John O’Malley’s vintage car display.

“Can we go to the beach now?” Ruby waits for the Show Secretaries meeting between Marian Judge (Riverstown) and Louise Coen (Louisburgh) to adjourn \ Susan Finnerty

What hasn’t changed is this unique show’s setting, atmosphere, good going provided in the show jumping rings, due to the sandy soil and a superb secretary in Louise Coen, who had their complete results emailed by the following day.

No wonder Marian Judge had a day at Louisburgh on her bucket list.