RDS horse qualifiers get underway at The Meadows

LAST Wednesday, May 25, saw the first of the Horse qualifiers for the 2022 RDS Dublin Horse Show being held. The occasion saw athletes from all over Ireland head northward to the Meadows Equestrian Complex, Lurgan.

In the Four-Year-Old Qualifier, Daniel Fitzgerald was a worthy winner, having impressed the visiting judges to take the first-place ribbons with ‘Queen of Dancing BW’, owned by Niall Carey, a bay mare by ‘Emerald Van’t Ruytershof’.

In one of the best displays of young horse jumping, the Five-Year-Old RDS Qualifier was eventually won by Harry Wood and ‘ESI Indigo’ by international stallion ‘Dakar VDL’. From the initial 107 starters, only 14 combinations made it through the gruelling three-round competition without penalty, over the course designed by Tom Holden.

Taking the first golden ticket to the RDS in the Six-Year-Old Qualifier was Sean Kavanagh on board Brendan and Pauline Finlay’s bay gelding ‘Castlebridge Logan’ by ‘Tolan R’. Securing the win after two rounds, Kavanagh stopped the clock in 50.26 seconds, half a second ahead of Seamus Hughes Kennedy, who finished in second place with ‘Curra Ferro’.

With some technical lines, 22 horses came home with a clean sheet after the first round in the Seven- and Eight-year-old Qualifier, ensuring that the class went the distance. Of these combinations, eight ended up coming home clear once again and, in doing so, ensured themselves of qualification to the RDS for 2022. The final golden ticket went to the fastest four faults, who on this occasion was Michael Roche with is own ‘MB Lorenzo R’.

RESULTS

Wednesday, May 25

RDS HORSE QUALIFIER

Five-Year-Old RDS Qualifier (12 to Qualify): 1) Ennisnag Stud’s ESI Indigo, Harry Wood; 2) Sharon Fitzpatrick’s CBI Invictus, Taylor Cummins; 3) David Moran’s Connaberry Luck, David Moran; 4) Bravo Hughes Ltd’s GCS Rosie, Marta Hughes Bravo; 5) Tracey Gallagher’s Next Question, Tom Hearne; 6) Edward Widger’s OKE Lulu Star, Barbara Allen; 7) Maurice Cousin’s Make Me Happy, Sophie Richards; 8) Tholm Keane’s Krafty Krackers, Tholm Keane; 9) Bravo Hughes Ltd’s HHS Ice Flo, Carl Webb; 10) Donal Lynch’s BS Tiesto, Jack Geaney; 11) GBBS Int Ltd’s BP Wonder, Leah Stack.

Six-Year-Old RDS Qualifier (12 to Qualify): 1) Brendan and Pauline Finlay’s Castlebridge Logan, Sean Kavanagh; 2) Ciara Kearney Seamus Hughes Kennedy’s Curra Ferro (ISH), Seamus Hughes Kennedy; 3) Deirdre Doyle’s Kancruise, Deirdre Doyle; 4) Bravo Hughes Ltd’s HHS Tokyo, Carl Webb; 5) Baden Powell’s Curraghraigue Jack Bro, Gemma Phelan; 6) Michael Ormond’s Kylemore-Lady, Linda Moloney; 7) Bravo Hughes Ltd’s HHS Savanna, Molly Hughes Bravo; 8) Linda Murphy’s Shirsheen Calensky, Brendan Murphy; 9) Marti Rudd’s Monbeg Ruby, Tomas Doyle; 10) Patrick Kehoe’s ABC Saving Grace, Ethen Ahearne; 11) Ita McDermott’s Emoe Pixie, Ita McDermott; 12) Richard Smyth and Sylvia Craig’s CSF Rio, Jonathan Smyth.

Seven- & Eight-Year-Old RDS Qualify (9 to Qualify): 1) Clare Hughes’s ESI Ali, Seamus Hughes Kennedy; 2) Sorcha Hennessy’s Inlaws Manolo, Derek McConnell; 3) Tim Brennan’s Diadema Della Caccia, Timmy Brennan; 4) Williams Sporthorse Ltd’s Playboy JT Z, Rhys Williams; 5) Emma Horgan’s Seaview Demonstration, Alan O’Regan; 6) Castlefield Breeding Farm’s Far Wes Du Hus, Jason Foley; 7) Jason Higgins’ Balanda Star KZ, Jason Higgins; 8) Aiden Killeen’s KS Casaltan, Aiden Killeen; 9) Michael Roche’s MB Lorenzo R, Michael Roche.

Four-Year-Old RDS Qualifier (8 to Qualify): 1) Aoife Cuffe’s Dunard Lady Dominator, Ita McDermott; 2) Clare Abbott’s MT Luxaan, Clare Abbott; 3) Jane Gibbons’s Ceide Candy Heart, Stephen Gibbons; 4) Ronan Rothwell’s Boleybawn Rolex, Jack McKeon; 5) Declan McGarry’s MCG Emerald, Deane Rogan; 6) Zoe Connolly’s Brockagh Field Cailin, Zoe Connolly; 7) Gerard Burke’s Glidawn Gigi, Gemma Phelan; 8) James McEvoy’s Sumas Foxy, James McEvoy.