THIS is going to be a tough showing season for Co Wicklow’s Alicia Devlin Byrne, following the death of her father, coach and unwavering supporter, Bernard Byrne, last December.

However, the show must go on and one can only imagine how delighted Bernard would have been to see Alicia and the remarkable Blackwood Fernando once again win the North Down Marquees Connemara working hunter championship in Horse Arena 1 on the Thursday afternoon of the recent Balmoral Show. The 27-year-old Ferdia gelding had first topped the final line-up in the class for riders over 16.

“It was unreal!” said Devlin Byrne of this latest championship success for the grey, who was bred by Patrick McNamara out of the Mervyn Pookhaun mare Dancing Queen. “Since I brought him back into work, I was fighting with myself whether I should bring him up here to Balmoral or not. I think he would like to do a little bit more, but it certainly won’t be much. Dad treated him like a pet lamb and we’ll do the same.”

‘We’ refers to the successful rider’s mother Claire Devlin, who has been the official owner of Blackwood Fernando since he arrived on the competition scene. Claire, as usual, stayed at home to do the yard, while Alicia travelled north with her boyfriend Daragh, the championship winner and an Irish Draught.

Given the vast experience of Blackwood Fernando, credit must go to the young ponies who finished second and third respectively, Carol Murdoch’s Jackson Laing-ridden six-year-old dun Newgrange Lad gelding Doon Da Vinci and the five-year-old brown Lightening Star gelding Derrylackey Playboy, who was ridden for Emily McGowan by Lesley Jones.

Reserve

McGowan and Jones were previously owner and rider of Tullaree Fear Bui, who won the class for riders aged 10 to 16 and then stood reserve champion. Now ridden by Co Tipperary’s Ellie Rogan for her mother Cathy Cooper, the 11-year-old Templebready Fear Bui gelding was bred by Clive Swindell out of his Dunlewey Rigmarole mare Tullaree Silver.

Rogan and Tullaree Fear Bui narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Horse Of The Year Show at the Northern Ireland Festival, where they were beaten into second by the Jamie Smyth-partnered Glencarrig Bracken. That six-year-old Glencarrig Knight stallion was entered at Balmoral, but didn’t meet his engagement, following the sad death of owner Cathy Geoghegan’s father-in-law, Pa Curley.