Charleville shines in sizzling temperatures

Susan Finnerty recounts the action and explains why Charleville is one of Ireland's leading shows after another successful year.

27 June 2018

Charleville shines in sizzling temperatures

Cashel Bobby, Supreme Champion pony at Charleville Show, with owner Sean O'Conaire, judge Henrietta Knight and sponsor Joe Carroll. \ Susan Finnerty

2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Don Cossack, with Louise Lyons on board, at Charleville Show. \ Susan Finnerty

Once again Charleville demonstrated how it is one of the country’s leading shows when its proactive committee produced a Factor 50-standard show in last weekend’s sizzling temperatures. What makes this show outstanding is their willingness to adapt and the horse rings were reshuffled with the broodmare and young horses moving to a new location this year. Add in Charleville’s team of knowledgable horse and pony stewards from the area where National Hunt racing began, with Henrietta Knight amongst the team of visiting UK judges proving as big an attraction at the show as Country and Western singer Michael English and it is easy to see why this show continues to flourish.

Once again Charleville demonstrated how it is one of the country’s leading shows when its proactive committee produced a Factor 50-standard show in last weekend’s sizzling temperatures.

What makes this show outstanding is their willingness to adapt and the horse rings were reshuffled with the broodmare and young horses moving to a new location this year. Add in Charleville’s team of knowledgable horse and pony stewards from the area where National Hunt racing began, with Henrietta Knight amongst the team of visiting UK judges proving as big an attraction at the show as Country and Western singer Michael English and it is easy to see why this show continues to flourish.

Surprise presentation

Michael Creed TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine, was on hand for a surprise presentation on Saturday by the show committee to the Irish Shows Association’s national secretary Michael Hughes. The popular Mountbellew man retires from his post at the end of the show season and will be succeeded by Monaghan farmer and former ISA president Jim Harrison.

“What I would say about Michael Hughes is: look around you. This is the legacy of Michael, Charleville and all the other shows in the Association. They are a fantastic showcase for the Irish agri food industry to reach out to the broader urban communities to show what we’re all about” commented Creed.

Pony classes

Sadly, David Machin, one of the intended judges, lost his son in a farm accident last Wednesday and Eleanor Corkett deputised in the pony classes on Saturday.

Rossmuc native Sean O’Conaire had a long day. Cashel Bobby (Kinvara Boy) won the Connemara championship in the early morning and his traditional type mare won the overall pony title in the evening. Saturday’s other in-hand champion, Aidan Williamson’s part-bred Welsh and young stock champion Goldengrove Temptress, (Goldengrove Starstruck) won these titles for a third successive year.

Other reserve supreme contenders included the mannerly mini and show pony victors Mountain Ash of Glendhu (Criccieth Ash) and Goldengrove Hermione (Holyoake Czar), both owned by Margaret Greene; Janet Williamson’s starter stakes winner Cadlanvalley Crusader and Rosie Mae O’Grady’s Rosog Rusty from the working hunter division. Taking the reserve tricolour was Aoife O’Connor’s show hunter champion Carr Side Katie (Bazaars Chief).

Young horses

Sunday’s champions included John Tyner’s yearling That’s Class Joe (KEC Maximum Joe) who won a hotly-contested young horse championship. Henrietta Knight’s reserve choice from the best quality young horse classes seen this season was Dan O’Connor’s Newmarket Rolo (Newmarket Venture).

Seven hopefuls were forward for The Irish Field Breeders’ Championship qualifier where Leo Cahalane’s Automatic Mover (Limmerick) and her Golden Master filly topped the line-up. Derry Rothwell’s Greenhall Wishing Well (Crosstown Dancer) with an Island Commander filly and Mary McInerney’s mare by Ryelands Seamaster and her Young Carrabawn foal were George Chapman and Ger Murphy’s other choices.

Rothwell’s home-bred, the 2016 Dublin reserve champion hunter, also won the Horse Sport Ireland broodmare championship, judged by Marian Condren, with John Roche’s Assagart Mistress (Kings Master), that also won the earlier broodmare championship, in reserve. PJ Lehane’s Munther filly won the foal championship ahead of Breid Shannon’s Lansdown’s colt.

Treble

Louise Lyons scored a treble in the ridden horse classes, first winning the working hunter on board Paulette Cooper’s First Rate (Obelix), followed by the ridden title on another Cooper-owned; Dartans Blockbuster (OBOS Quality).

David Kirkpatrick’s journey south paid off when Cairnview Redwood Guy (Loughehoe Guy) was the workers reserve and Lesley Webb’s Double Take (Ricardo Z) stood reserve on the flat. Lyons also piloted Gigginstown House Stud’s 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Don Cossack making a successful debut in the racehorse to riding horse.