CHARLEVILLE’s ridden horse classes always attract a top-quality field with the large rings, busy country show atmosphere and the perspective of visiting UK judges all adding to its appeal.

Another reason why Charleville is such a progressive show is the committee listens to objective feedback. The closing line in last year’s show report - a suggestion for a matching supreme horse championship - was duly acted on and a ringside crowd gathered to see which of the day’s ridden horse champions would be the inaugural supreme champion.

The first names on the Dick Johnson Trophy, named after the north Cork vet and longtime show supporter, are Susie Roche’s Carrowgar Henry. Winner of the lightweight hunter class, the Herald 3 four-year-old sailed into supreme honours contention after he followed up with the hunter championship for his Lombarstown owner.

Standing reserve champion hunter was Annie Prendergast’s Rowels Buddy from the combined middle/heavyweight hunter class. Bred by Jack Breen, the upstanding grey five-year-old is by the Irish Draught sire Farmhill Highlander and like Carrowgar Henry, also qualified for the Red Mills Champion of Champions Final after his Charleville result.

Both the champion and reserves from the ridden horse and working hunter rings were also eligible for the supreme finale. Dominic Furnell scored another Charleville working hunter title (see Pony Tales on page 97), this year with Niamh McNamara’s Dukes Endeavour (KEC Maximum Joe). Reserve was another Charleville ‘frequent flyer’ in Ann O’Grady who won a well-filled novice class with Ballingowan Notorious, by the Andiamo Z son Adieu Z.

The third pair of eligible contenders were from the busy ridden horse classes: Lyndsey O’Brien’s Creevaghstables Mr Bloomfield who repeated his dual Charleville win last year in both the amateur and Irish Draught classes. Reserve in this ring was Shane McKenna’s Kamala.

A pleasure

It was the quality bay lightweight though that caught the collective judges’ eyes in the supreme with Carrowgar Henry called forward as the supreme.

“I bought Henry last November from his breeder Gina Heaps of Carrowgar Sport Horses. He’s by the Holsteiner Herald 3 out of a Flagmount King mare, I broke him around Christmas and he’s been a pleasure to do anything with. The plan is the four-year-old lightweights at Dublin,” said Susie, an accountant who had a busy weekend, helping to steward classes the previous day.

“He was champion young horse at Nenagh on his first in-hand outing last year and was placed in his lightweight class at the RDS,” said his equally delighted breeder Gina, who won the Dublin young horse championship with his full-brother Carrowgar Herald.

The reserve supreme, bred by Peter McHugh and by Gortfree Hero, is also Dublin-bound. “We bought him as an unbroken three-year-old from Tommy Considine in Quin, Co. Clare. He was second in Dublin last year in the Sportsman middleweight class and has qualified for the Red Mills Champion of Champions finals and the Dublin side-saddle.

“He was reserve ladies champion in Balmoral this year, ridden by my sister Suzanne, as I had just given birth to my little girl Alex Rose,” Lyndsey explained.

Gina Heaps had double cause to regret missing Charleville after able deputies - husband Emelyn and Maria Griffin - qualified Carrowgar Je T’Aime (Je T’Aime Flamenco) and her Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve filly foal for the showjumping section of The Irish Field Breeders’ Championship.

Judges George Chapman and Philip Scott were impressed by the standard, rating it the best of the three qualifiers they had judged to date and also put forward Colm and Cathy Cuffe’s Legaland Con Air (see Breeders’ 10 on page 83).

At this penultimate qualifier, they also qualified Kieran O’Gorman’s frequent finalist Brookfield Miss Lux (Lux Z) and her Munther foal, plus Richard Drohan’s newcomer Golden Moments and her News Anchor foal in the eventing section. Like the late Jackaroo, William Micklem’s sad loss this week, Golden Moment’s sire Golden Master is another Master Imp son.

Drohan’s good run continued after his News Anchor colt won the Charleville foal championship earlier in the day, ahead of Kieran O’Gorman’s Munther filly. “News Anchor (New Approach) stands at Clohamon Stud with Michael Murphy and is a full-brother to MacSwiney who won the Irish 2,000 Guineas,” Richard said about the new addition.

Broodmare champion

Trish Hoey’s broodmare champion choice was Adrian Shoer’s Cornets Juliet (Ulysses M2S) in foal to Liam O’Meara’s traditionally bred Sir Jim Jim, coincidentally in action in the Charleville show jumping rings. Seamus Lehane’s Ballard Peaches & Cream (Kings Master), the lightweight class winner, was the reserve.

The lucrative Horse Sport Ireland broodmare class, judged by Brian Cotter who was on a family visit home from Kentucky where he works for Coolmore USA, was won by Gairdín Mór Spirit (Spirit House). “I’m still in shock!” Eoin Jennings, her owner said afterwards with the celebrations continuing that evening in his aunt Helen Nyhan’s pub in Reenascreena.

In the adjoining young horse ring, numbers were very disappointing in the three-year-old classes. Owners keeping their powder dry for Dublin, focusing on three-year-old qualifiers instead or cutting back due to costs are all points mentioned about this trend.

However, this year’s Charleville young horse champion was one of those rare three-year-olds: Russell Cowley’s Cloneyhea Capriole, by the Irish Draught stallion Bannvalley Navillus and his name now joins the likes of future Dublin winners Dromelihy Imp and Ballard Bouncer on the Morrissey Cup.

The reserve young horse champion was Regina Daly’s two-year-old Tinascully Witness (HHS Cornet), another sourced from Michael O’Callaghan.

More Charleville winners included a back-to-back double in the racehorse to riding horse class for Joanne Jones Dogora (Robin des Peres) while Amory McMahon’s Woodfieldfarm Baloo (Spirit House) and Nicola Chambers’ Red Mills Diamond topped the RDS ladies and intermediate side-saddle qualifiers.

A brief heavy downpour each day did not dampen proceedings at Charleville which has to be commended for its no late entries policy and hospitality.

A dark cloud on the horizon was the UK judges’ feedback about dwindling entries and show business costs.

What they said

“It’s great to see such numbers and quality in the horse and pony sections in the heart of the Golden Vale. I noted also the next generation of exhibitors, which is especially encouraging after the recent announcement of €1 million from Department of Rural and Community Development under Minister Heather Humphries, backing up what our shows are providing to the wider community. I’ve had a great day and the Charleville Show members have been incredibly friendly and courteous.” - Ray Brady, ISA president.

“Tim is already making calls of course!” - Lyndsey O’Brien’s father is on the hunt for his grandchildren’s lead rein ponies.

“It’s an honour to be the first person to win the Dick Johnson supreme as he has given such outstanding service to the show over many, many years.” - Susie Roche

“We need to clone Susan!” - Newcastle West Show chairman Liam Ruttle about their show’s same day clash with Louisburgh and The Irish Field’s pre-booked reporter.

He [Shanbo Rory] is the most adorable pony. I’m just a normal person who works hard and lives in the real world. There are only so many shows I can afford to go to, so I’m not up and down the country with him. And that is reality.” - Sarah-Jane Sinnott