THE pattern of Connemara classes being the best supported at the early western shows followed through at Westport, where local TD Michael Ring performed the official opening.

“The general public needs to realise when they’re [shows] gone, they’ll be looking for them. It’s like everything in this country: there’s lots of things we have lost, there’s lots of things now coming back again. And we shouldn’t let the shows die,” he told The Irish Field.

“When I saw the problems that shows had, after a few bad years weather-wise, I said, ‘Look, something has to be done’,” continued Ring, alluding to the funding package he secured in 2017 as then-Minister for Rural and Community Development.

“The funding is there now. No Minister will ever take it away.”

The Dunne brothers, Sean and Dermot, on judging duty in the Connemara ring, found their overall champion in Joe McNamara’s recent Balmoral winner Lehid Ellen (Glencarrig Prince), bought as a foal from John Conneely. Joe also stood her grandam’s sire Boden Park Finnard.

Joe McNamara and daughter Emer with their Westport champion Connemara, Lehid Ellen and judges Dermot and Sean Dunne \ Susan Finnerty

Eamonn Burke’s Manor Marble took his second reserve championship title in as many weeks, almost emulating his sire Manor Duke, champion Connemara here in 2022.

Corclough Ginger, Noel Brett’s home-bred champion foal at Maam Cross two years ago, was the Westport junior champion, ahead of Malachy Gorman’s winner of the other two-year-old class: his Magherafadda Lad filly, Moate Echo.

Annette McMullen’s Hollycreek Sir Sidney, ridden by Caitlin McMullen and Janet Harvey’s Whiterock Jo Malone, ridden by Michael Gannon, were Patricia Hoey’s champion and reserve from the pony classes.

In-hand champion

Horse entries were low, for example Laura Foody’s broodmare Fidachta Tulip (Cougar) and her Glynwood Coronet colt foal were the sole entries in their classes. Having outgrown her 138cm pony, “Dad lands home with a surprise for me. I ran out to the stables to be greeted by a 17-hand horse. He handed me her book and said, ‘Here’s your next project!’” said her Enniscrone owner, who also show jumped the mare.

Fidachta Tulip won the in-hand horse championship, while Amy Bohan’s Gortfadda Heigh Ho (Heigh Ho Dubh) won the Irish Draught championship for the Maynooth University student. Dominic Cassidy’s Holy River (Inisfree The Holy Grail) was reserve.

Martina Murphy presented the Eddie Murphy Memorial Cup to Amy Bohan for the champion Irish Draught at Westport: Gortfadda Heigh Ho /Susan Finnerty

Without Tiernan Gill’s multiple entries, the young horse classes would have attracted a handful of entries.

In recent years, the same situation has often applied around the country of the same handful of exhibitors.

This, in turn, can lead to the ‘damned if you do/damned if you don’t’ conundrum of, ‘same ones winning every week’ commentary, versus ‘you didn’t enter/support our show’ feedback.

“I’ve been going to Westport Show for years, it’s where I won my first championship.

“I’ll continue to support Westport and the country shows, just as I always have,” said the Ballina exhibitor.

He showed Pat Finn’s two-year-old filly (Chelis HC Z) to win the Westport tricolour and his three-year-old gelding Flogas Rothschild (Impressive VDL) was Tony Ennis and Lawrence Patterson’s reserve champion choice.

Flogas Tiara, the yearling filly class winner, is by Bertram Allen’s young stallion Four Seasons and she is co-owned by Allen and Gill.

“I mentioned to April [Allen] that Bertram could show her sometime!”

Now that showring sight – of the Wexford rider, nominated this week for the Paris Olympics – would surely drum up ringside interest.