IT has been great to see the increasing interest and numbers competing in the Connemara and Irish Draught sections of Balmoral Show although Edwina O’Connor, who won the Lightsource BP performance Irish Draught championship in the Main Arena on Thursday morning, only entered Ashwood Reggie having had “a mad notion” to do so.

“I was hunting him away at the time with the Wicklows when someone said something about the entries being open so I thought I might as well stick him in,” said the Inch exhibitor. “He’d done a small bit of show jumping in the past but nothing like this. Then I didn’t think I’d get here as a filly kicked me in the face about three weeks ago. Luckily, she had no hind shoes on and I only suffered a broken nose so here I am!”