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.