Eagle ready to swoop at Dublin Show again

TOP horse exhibitor at last year’s Dublin Horse Show, Seamus Lehane, continued his domination of shows in his native West Cork, at last week’s Carbery Show in Skibbereen.

The Clonakilty horseman took the top two awards, the Cork County Yearling Championship and the Boland Memorial Championship.

It came a week after he took Ballard Eagle to the Bannow and Rathangan Show in Co Wexford, and won the prestigious Three Year Old Horse All Ireland Championship — one of only ten such events in Horse Sport Ireland’s National Showing Championship Series.

Also celebrating in Skibbereen — and showing the Skibbereen Foal Championship winner — was local man Denis Collins, the breeder of Ballard Eagle, now among the favourites to win Dublin Horse Show rosettes, having already landed the Dublin supreme championship as a two-year-old.

Other Carbery Show winners included the following.

CATTLE

Cork County Beef Bull Championship Final 2011. William Gubbins, Co. Limerick.

Carbery Group dairy class group of three females: Jerry Hegarty, Skibbereen.

Shorthorn champion: Jimmy and Linda O’Donovan, Schull. Reserve champion: Tom Roycroft, Dunmanway.

Jersey champion: Richard and Avril Helen, Clonakilty. Reserve champion: Christopher McCarthy, Ballineen.

Junior Friesian champion: Leslie Draper, Skibbereen. Reserve champion: Michael Lynch, Drimoleague.

Belgian Blue champion: Seamus Neary, Kilkenny. Reserve champion: Richard and Fidelma Stanley, Bandon.

Michael Cadogan Memorial purebred Hereford bull championship: F and J Appelbe, Clonakilty.

Charolais champion: George Appelbe, Ballinascarthy. Reserve champion: Tim Levis, Skibbereen.

Champion Limousin: Frank Buckley, Kildinan, Co Cork. Reserve champion: Dan O’Mahony, Ballygarvan.

Drinagh Co-op Heifer of the Year Final: Frank Buckley, Kildinan, Co. Cork.

Champion Aberdeen Angus: Bryan O’Halloran, Bandon. Reserve champion: James Kingston and Ruth Good, Riverstick.

Commercial Champion: Clive and Rhoda Jennings, Enniskeane. Reserve champion: James Wycherley, Bandon.

Champion Beef Cow of Show: George Appelbe, Ballinascarthy.

HORSES

Cork County Yearling Championship Final: Seamus Lehane, Clonakilty.

Boland Memorial Championship: Seamus Lehane, Clonakilty.

Skibbereen Credit Union Champion Foal of the Show: Denis Collins, Skibbereen.

Irish Draught Mare: Denis Dullea, Killountain, Bandon.

Irish Draught Foal: Sean Scannell, Ballyvourney.

Half Bred or Irish Draught Mare and Foal: Ray Cahalane, Union Hall.

2-year-old non-thoroughbred filly: Kieran O’Gorman, Clonakilty.

3-year-old gelding and filly: Seamus Lehane, Clonakilty.

Best Piebald or Skewbald Filly or Gelding: Neil Hurley, Ballincollig.

Connemara Pony: Judy Cuddy, Midleton.

Pony Brood Mare: Dermot Horgan, Macroom.

Best Donkey: Tom Forbes, Drimoleague.

Best Dog in Show: Erica Donelan, Skibbereen.