YORKSHIRE-based Debbie Harrod is a household name as owner of top show horses on the British show circuit and has made her stamp in Ireland now too having had several winners at the Dublin Horse Show.

As well as owning the heavyweight hunter champion Endeavour R, she also had the enjoyment of seeing her seven-year-old mare Lulu De Beau win the overall riding horse accolade on Wednesday afternoon. Standing reserve was Nicola Perrin on her own Ballarin Rosebud.

In the saddle with Lulu De Beau was Belfast producer Jamie Smyth, whose partner Ryan Anderson actually sourced the daughter of the Hannoverian Don Aqui as a four-year-old. The pair run a busy showing yard outside Belfast.

“We really liked her type,” Anderson said. In the run up to Dublin the bay placed third in Balmoral. She may now be aimed at some qualifiers for the Horse of the Year Show having been placed there last year under her former rider Jayne Ross.

While Lulu De Beau’s dam Beaulanta, by Sandreo, competed in dressage, the Scottish-based sire Don Aqui is truly versatile with progeny competing in dressage, eventing and show jumping.

Lulu De Beau had been the pick of 14 in the small riding horse division for judges Sarah Kellard Smith (ride) and David Dixon (conformation).

Having finished reserve champion riding horse on her first ever show in April, the four-year-old Kamala M25 stepped up to the mark on the bigger stage to place second here for Shane McKenna riding for Joe Buckey. By Imnotafraid Fortuna, this one is out of the Condios mare Gao Yu M2s and was bred by Morningside Stud who stood the stallion for many years.

Rosebud blooms for Perrin

Nicola Perrin headed the larger division of 16 entries with her home-bred five-year-old Ballarin Rosebud.

Second here was Cindy Wagner on Golden Future for owner/breeder Dermot Barlow. By Future Trend, this five-year-old is well-related and from the same direct family as the two-star event horse Carneyhaugh Conquistador.

Perrin’s winner comes from a tremendous line of champions so it was no surprise to see her at the top of the line-up once again.

By the Irish Draught Ballysax Hero, she is out of Seefin Rosewood who has also produced Ballarin Rosabella (Emperor Augustus), second in the large hacks at the recent Royal International Horse Show for rider Jayne Ross.

“Sadly we lost ‘Rosewood’ to colic last year but Rosebud is in foal to Radolin. I really like him as a sire and have a few others at home by him.”

This includes Rosebud’s two-year-old half-sister, the four-year-old lightweight Ballarin Shannon and her year-old full-brother Ballarin Shanalin.

“We may retain Rosebud now as a broodmare or put her back under saddle, we are undecided,” added Perrin who wished to acknowledge the help all week from her hard-working fiancé Robert Jeffares.