Well-groomed horse show trots to a stylish finish

A FIVE-DAY cocktail of good jumping, mostly fine weather and large crowds dominated the five-day Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show which ended in style at the RDS last evening.

The show also saw Ireland move off the relegation threatening bottom of the Samsung Super League as a result of finishing fifth of eight nations in the Aga Khan Trophy, which the British won for the first time since 1996.

Breeders had enhanced opportunities to showcase their stock and while all the talks was about a reported €1 million offer by Americans for a 10-year-old competition horse, the average prices for young potential show jumpers and eventers was reported to be in the region of €10,000 to €20,000. The show also focused attention on the status of the Irish Draught, the country’s primary indigenous horse breed, which some people say is now under threat because of falling numbers.

Costing €2.8m to stage, the show had entries of 1,400 horses and ponies in over 100 showing and jumping classes, a prize fund of over €600,000 and in excess of 300 trade stands, a quarter of them from overseas.

Show Director Gerry McAuliffe said the 132nd show was a great success with sell-out attendances on Ladies Day and for the Nations Cup, extensive live television coverage abroad and the involvement of Failte Ireland as sponsors providing a big boost.

“Everything went very well,” he said, noting in particular the spectacular success of a new public judging competition which attracted some 800 entries.

The RDS selected specific showing classes on each of three days in which members of the public could speculate on the winner and be in with a chance of winning €1,000.

Mr McAuliffe said the excellent response showed that the Society had hit the pulse of people who wanted to become involved by putting their knowledge against those of the actual judges.

As staff begin the work of returning the 42-acre Ballsbridge showgrounds to normality today, the RDS will be preparing to invite tenders later this month for the first phase of a €100m re-development of the complex, which will be carried out in phases over 10 years.