THE Hoare family, from Moylough, have been knocking for several years on the proverbial stable door with an RDS stallion champion plaque above it. That wait ended last Friday, when Moylough Supremacy won the title.

Once again, the Irish Draught stallion class was divided into two sections, with the top-two then going head-to-head for the overall championship.

It was a Mayo one-two in the opening half, when Owen Hallinan’s Farmhill Highlander won and with Sean Barker’s veteran Gortfree Hero in reserve. Third place went to Tommy McMahon’s Ludden Skywalker (Luke Skywalker - Shenandoah Prince Holly), second here last year and he was bred by Eamonn Kennedy.

Hallinan’s winner, bred in Co Kilkenny by Leslie Landen, is by WRS Sun Rich out of Mizen Holly, by Coolcronan Wood - a stallion that, like the Inisfree-breds, appeared in several of this year’s prize-winning pedigrees.

Now a 22-year-old, the former triple champion Gortfree Hero (Castana x Uibh Fhaili 81) was bred by Francis Lafferty.

Castana also featured in the bloodlines of Pat Hoare’s winner of the second section: Moylough Supremacy. He followed his full-brother - Moylough Legacy, fourth in this year’s opening section and a winner here in 2023 - by standing top of the second half.

Both Moylough horses are by the Dublin champion Carrabawn Cross and out of the Castana mare, Ardcarne Vilamear. Both were also bred by the late John Gilboy, from Boyle, who rarely missed ‘Draught day’.

Charmaine Kee’s memorable Dublin continued when her Gweebarras Dreamtime Star (Millhollow Real MacCoy x Dreamtime Mayfie), an eight-year-old full-brother to her reserve champion mare Dreamtime Realta, was second to Moylough Supremacy.

Third place went to another of Tourmakeady owner Sean Barker’s entries: the prolific performer Gortfree Lakeside Lad (Gortfree Hero), whose damsire Ginger Dick stood with the Hallinan family at their Killawalla Stud, near Westport.

Judges Jane Hall and Marc Hahne had the choice of two different winning types within the breed: the tall, upstanding grey Farmhill Highlander and the more compact chesnut Moylough Supremacy, opting for the Galway winner in the end.

“We had bought Legacy, loved him and always asked John Gilboy if he ever had another colt to give us first refusal and he did. I looked at Supremacy over the stable door and just loved him. I always remember being so excited driving home after buying him and ringing my cousin Sean and telling him about him. It was his day and everything just came together, John’s granddaughter Emer was ringside to see Supremacy take champion,” said Pat’s daughter Kate.

“It’s such a huge team effort and thanks to Sean for being such a great help. My best friend Laura Tarpey flies over from London every year to be top groom and we operate out of Philip McManus’s Claregalway yard with both stallions and are so thankful to Philip, his daughter Emer and Barboro [Bilkovicova] for all their help.

“And, of course, Stephen ‘Stevo’ Finn, as he did such a great job showing Supremacy and always loved him. We were reserve champion twice with Legacy, so it’s amazing to finally take it. Dad is delighted.”