The ridden stallions unfolded the story of Rory, the grey nine-year-old stallion Shanbo Rory (Rory Rasputin-Kiltogorra Katie), who ruled supreme after winning a strong stallion class at the RDS.

When owned by his Co Meath breeder Noel Farrell, Rory spent his young days in a field in Kilmessan before being spotted as a six-year-old by well-known Connemara judge Claire Oakes who purchased him and broke him before hunting both astride and side saddle for a season with the Meath hounds.

When Oakes got a call from Kelly Jones in the South of England looking for a potential champion, she had no hesitation in recommending the stallion Shanbo Rory and the pair shook hands on the deal. Rory went on to win the NPS Picton Novice M & M final in 2014 and in 2016 at the BSPS Area Summer Show, won the M & M open large breeds class and qualified for HOYS. His present owner Sophie James from Oxfordshire bought him a few months ago with Dublin in mind, the rest is history. Her sister Emma James rode the white stallion with distinction earning her the overall Ridden Championship and Eugenia Murray cup.

SUPER PONY

Here we have a super pony with a pedigree to match, his sire Rory Rasputin was bred in Denmark, his dam Van De Arenbosch Donna (Fort Tynion-Kingstown Swallow) travelled to Germany to be covered by Chiltern Thunderburst and so the bloodline of Pat Lyne’s Island Duke re-emerges yet again. Rory’s dam Kiltogorra Katie (Mervyn Pookhaun-Kiltogorra Grey) has many prominent names throughout her bloodlines.

The four and five-year-old mares and geldings were judged by Carolyn Whiteley and Margaret Evans who selected their first winner in section A, the five-year-old mare Laerswill Lily, (Laerkens Cascade Dawn-Willow Lady) owned by Joanna Butler from Straffan, she was ridden by Co Kildare's Nicola Perrin and bred by Athlone's Tom O’Reilly who has her dam in foal again to Learkens Cascade Dawn. The winning combination was later awarded the Reserve Overall Connemara Ridden Championship.

The four-year -old mare Cashelbay Kate (Cashelbay Prince-Frederiksminde Mathilda), owned and bred by Robbie Fallon from Cashelbay Stud in Athenry, was ridden by a true horseman Michael Harty who took the red rosette in section B, she looks like a real all-rounder having previously won the Supreme In-hand Championship at Ballinalee.

In the mares and geldings six-year-old and over class, Honeyhill Bacon (Crusheen Comet-Song of Liberty), bred by Helen Troughton in Portadown, gave her owners Joe and Anne Marie Tierney from Oughterard their first ever win in Dublin. Catherine Gorton did a wonderful job riding.

HAPPY HUNTING GROUND

In class B of this section, it was a happy hunting ground for Ted and Patrice Byrne’s Glencroft Aruba (Patty’s Bastion-Glen Lady 2nd) ridden to perfection by their daughter Emma who also won the class in 2014. The eight-year-old, bred by Joseph O’Neill at Leenane Co Galway, has an old and established pedigree and certainly looks true to type.

Mick and Michaela Butler from Co Kildare produced their fluent dun six-year-old Lillian’s Lad in pristine condition, ridden by Nicola Perrin he was a popular winner of section A of the six and over mares and geldings.

The son of Maghera Fadda Lad and Prosperous Lillian ‘Lad’ was bred by Suellen Heneghan from Castlebar.

Monaghanstown Rory (Currachmore Cashel-Monaghanstown Cindy) ridden by owner Kate Rath Doyle from Gorey, Co Wexford was on a roll from winning a championship at Borris House last week and was foot-perfect in the six and over mares and geldings class B to give his owner her second win at the RDS.