THE Hughes family name is synonymous with a championship for four-year-old horses, so no show at their farm would be complete without one. The John Hughes MRCVS four-year-old championship, supported by DAFM and HSI, saw 25 combinations go to post over the 1m track to be judged at last weekend’s HHS Charity Show.

Multi-tasking event rider turned show jumper Camilla Speirs and BT Stables’ Belgian-bred Don Juan Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Cardento), proved best of the bunch, being awarded a score of 128 for the win. The stallion was competing at his first major show and Speirs reported she is very excited about his future.

Junior Mary Fitzgerald and the Ballywalter Stables’-owned and bred California BW (Cardento x Clinton) were second with a score of 125.

Young rider Timmy Brennan and his father Tim’s stallion Mayweather (Aganix du Seigneur x Air Jordan) took third with 124 points.

Shane Kenny rode his own Leestone Emeresky (Emerald Ven’t Ruytershof x Cornet Oblensky), bred by John McKibben, into fourth place with 123 points.

Fifth went to Carl Webb and his own, Aidan Carrol-bred CBI Lucinda (Chacco Blue II x Diamant De Semilly), also on 123. Daren Hopkins completed the line-up in sixth, riding another home-bred from the Ballywalter Stables, Toulouse BW (Toulon x Cassini I).