A PUNCH in the air from Jane Bradbury just as the result was announced proved just how much a third supreme hunter championship meant to her at the RDS on Saturday morning.

Not since 2014 had she worn the supreme sash – that time on Bloomfield Excelsior – and incredibly it was another horse with the well-established Irish prefix, Bloomfield Watergate, who took the honours, this time for an ecstatic owner, Dr Brendan Furlong.

Born in Wexford but based in the States for many years, the world-renowned equine veterinary surgeon was almost in disbelief as his four-year-old swept the boards, first in the lightweights, then his age class, and finally landing the supreme title ahead of Aubrey Chapman on the middleweight Caseys Expresso.

“I was just hoping he’d win his class. I didn’t expect him to go all the way. We are just thrilled,” Dr Furlong commented afterwards, having been on hand to hold the much-coveted Perpetual Champion Cup in the Main Arena. “As he won the supreme, we can’t take him back next year, so he may now be destined for an eventing career in the States,” he added.

Dr Furlong and his wife, fellow vet Wendy Leich, purchased ‘Percy’ after his win in the All-Ireland at Bannow & Rathangan last summer.

The couple have enjoyed big days out in the past with many good horses – including their 1993 Kentucky five-star winner Happy Talk – and as a kind gesture left the bay in the name of his breeder Daphne Tierney for the rest of his 2022 campaign. And what that proved to be.

Unbeaten on every outing when shown in hand by Michael Lyons, he went to the Dublin Horse Show last August where he won not only the Laidlaw Cup for champion young horse, but also the Pembroke for champion home-bred.

By the now deceased thoroughbred Watermill Swatch, the gelding is the first foal out of the Ars Vivendi mare Ballyconnery Bloomfield (See RDS snippets on these pages).

Jane Bradbury continues his great story. “Bloomfield Watergate was sent to David Tatlow last winter to get backed. He did a beautiful job and the horse came home in time for the 2023 showing season where he was again unbeaten at Adamstown and Tattersalls in the run-up to the RDS.”

Cream of the hunters

Judging in the Main Arena began at its regular early time of 7.45am on Saturday morning and there were plenty ringside to see the cream of the hunters being put through their paces for the five titles that every show producer wants to win.

First up, three mares – Be in The Moment Elm, Dennistown Lady Grace and Ballarin For Joy – came before ride judges Sarah Kellard Smith, Louise Daly and Guy Landau and conformation judges Tuffy Tilley, David Dixon and Jenny Banks.

A winner of her lightweight class earlier in the week, the youngest of the trio, the five-year-old Ballarin For Joy looked an absolute picture for her rider Ciara Mullen and put in a tremendous gallop that even got a gasp from the audience. It was enough to seal the deal after the judges rode and they all concurred she was a worthy winner.

Reserve went to Alicia Devlin-Byrne riding the seven-year-old lightweight Dennistown Lady Grace for owner Jason Kelly.

Ciara Mullen and her mother Rufina purchased the daughter of Castlecomer Q from Nicola Perrin early last year on the agreement she remained in Nicola’s yard for the 2022 show season. This pairing also won their age class in the lightweights last August and were all set for the Main Arena, but then had to be withdrawn after she got cast in her stable the night before. “We were devastated for that to happen,” said Rufina, “so it was great to come back this year with Ciara on board to win.”

Initially bought to compete in side saddle, they are undecided about her future now, but Rufina believes she will make a tremendous broodmare in time.

Supreme sash

Jane Bradbury entered the Main Arena hoping to add another championship sash to those won in 2011 with Bloomfield Ollie and 2014 with Bloomfield Excelsior.

On that journey Bloomfield Watergate was among the final four from an initial seven retained for the judging in their lightweight championship. Also in the mix was Orla Maguire (MBF Quick Decision), Rosemary Connors (Woodfield Bonus) and Louise Lyons with Dartans Red Mission. The last-named gelding was enjoying himself so much he put in an extra two laps of the Main Arena for ride judge Guy Landau, so much so he received a round of applause.

In the end the judges gave the nod to Bloomfield Watergate ahead of Rosemary Connors who took the ride on her own home-bred six-year-old Woodfield Bonus (Financial Reward) for owners Kate and Amory Deblois McMahon. They made the purchase two years ago and also have his half-brother Woodfieldfarm Baloo (by Spirit House) who placed third in the older middleweight class for Amory. She was delighted to be back in the saddle after suffering a serious fall earlier this year.

Both geldings are the progeny of Connors’ multiple RDS winner Woodfield Valier who also produced Woodfield Xtra, winner of the 2016 All-Ireland at Bannow.

Twelve months ago Aubrey Chapman had to settle for the reserve slot in the middleweight championship with the-then four-year-old Caseys Expresso. One year on and the bay was the top choice for the judges in his division.

By Ulysses M25 out of the Riyalan mare Hugginstown Rose, he was bred in Co Kilkenny by John Irish and picked up by the Chapmans as a three-year-old from Frank Casey. The bay has now been sold to Paulette Cooper in the UK.

Nicola Perrin produced the four-year-old Rathmorrissey Lord Of The Dance to take the reserve sash for owners Keith Martin and Kate Boyce. “He stands a massive 17.2hh and we thought the week would be long on him, but he just got better and better,” said the diminutive Perrin who hopes he might be retained for next season. “We were delighted too that his breeder Jack Freeney was at the show to see him.”

Well-known show horse producer Kieran Ryan wasn’t in the saddle this year but his son Ivan represented their Dublin yard on the home-bred IJ Countryman to claim reserve in the heavyweight finale.

An imposing son of the Irish Draught Lionwood Kinsales Lad, the four-year-old carries the blood from his damsire Kings Master and looks every bit a horse for the future.

Joy for Smyth

In the final line-up the champion was found in Debbie Harrod’s Endeavour R, a seven-year-old gelding by Cavalier Royale bred in Co Wexford by Simon McCarthy and ridden on the day by Jamie Smyth.

Smyth runs a busy yard outside Belfast with his partner Ryan Anderson and they produce several horses for Yorkshire-based Debbie Harrod, who bought this one unseen on their recommendation last year. “I met these two guys last year when I went to look at a horse. I didn’t buy that one but I bought another five instead. It was an expensive breakfast,” she laughed.

Supreme champion at Balmoral in May, Endeavour R will next head to HOYS having qualified at Lincolnshire Show.

A quartet of four-year-olds contested the Galway-Greer Cup named after a formidable show winner in the 1960s. Twice before Jane Bradbury had savoured the moment and for the third time she would be called in to take this accolade, this time with Bloomfield Watergate, ahead of Nicola Perrin on Rathmorrissey Lord Of The Dance.

Bloomfield Watergate was then among four for the supreme judging, along with Endeavour R, Caseys Expresso and Ballarin For Joy. All six judges deliberated momentarily but there was a loud cheer when ‘No 15’ was called out to a much-relieved Jane Bradbury.

It was not to be for Aubrey Chapman who claimed reserve supreme, but Jane did offer some encouragement afterwards. “I’m sorry to beat you Aubrey but you have a lot more years left in this than I have,” having admitted this was her 47th visit to the Dublin Horse Show.