The ultimate achievement for a show hunter is to qualify for HOYS and this year we were treated to some magnificent entries across the three weights, including Cabra West (Tigger). Tigger, who is by RID stallion Skippy Too (by Skippy), is owned and bred by Samantha Roche. Sam produced the horse herself and qualified him for HOYS at Monmouth Show but decided to give the HOYS ride to Rory Gilsenan.
Cabra West
Several of the MW and LW entrants had Irish Draught connections, but it was in the HW section that it really shone through, with ten of the twenty-six entrants in the Heavies having Irish Draught blood flowing through their veins; at least three were pure bred Irish Draught, (though the breed was listed as HUNTER!)
On Wednesday morning (very early!) the Lights and Middles were put through their paces, giving their ridden display before the classes were divided into two, the first half being ridden by judge Jon Trice-Rolph whilst the others were stripped and seen by the conformation judge.
Then came the HW section. Tigger was in the first half and 4th in line! The first three did not seem to give the judge a good ride. Holding our breath it was Tigger’s turn. He gave a beautiful account of himself, smooth transitions, lovely paces – the best so far.
In the conformation assessment he walked down the race with a purpose and trotted back with his hooves hardly touching the floor – wonderful.
All the horses came back into the ring for the selection of the Final 9 that would be judged after lunch. The successful horses were called out in catalogue order, 510 Book of Kells ridden by David Tatlow, then YES, Number 511 – Cabra West. A huge cheer erupted from the spectators as a very pleased Rory Gilsenan was pulled forward. Then Loughkeen Dancing Lord a pure bred Irish Draught ridden by Robert Oliver. What a result!
Now it was the agonising wait until after lunch to see who would win the HW class. The lights went down and in they came, the horses’ coats shining, the riders all in their finery, top hats and either tails or scarlet hunting coats – what a spectacle.
After completing their show, which included some hair-raising gallops, they were called in line in front of Katy Tyler, Sponsorship Director of TopSpec Feeds, sponsors of the Hunter Classes and Championship at HOYS.
The results were called in reverse order and after 9th, 8th and 7th places were called, we were so excited that he could be the 6th best HW hunter in the Country, but no, he wasn’t 6th, HE WAS 5th - the only non-professionally produced horse in the line up.
What a cheer went up, clearly a really popular decision, and then the Winner - Robert Oliver on Loughkeen Dancing Lord, a stunning pure bred Irish Draught by RID stallion Crosstown Dancer. The crowd went wild! Two pure bred Draughts in the final five – what an achievement!
Katie Tyler, sponsor of the Championship said “It was lovely to see so many true Heavyweights this year. The Irish Draught, with its superior bone and temperament, really shines through in these hunter classes.”
Later in the evening, the winners of all the sections, Guy Landau on John Dunlop’s Finn McCool (LW), Robert Walker on Jill Day’s Pride and Joy 11(MW) and Robert Oliver on Miss B White’s Loughkeen Dancing Lord (HW) lined up In the Hunter Final. Again they were put through their paces and it was Finn McCool who impressed the judges the most, giving him his second HOYS Hunter Championship in a row, with Robert Walker as Reserve. After completing his lap of honour, Guy Landau dismounted, thus retiring Finn McCool from further competition. What an end to an illustrious career for this lovely horse.
Congratulations to Sam Roche for breeding and producing Cabra West, to Rory Gilsenan for riding him so perfectly and to Tigger himself, for doing so well on his first visit to HOYS. (This just 3 weeks after winning the Blue Chip & IDHS (GB) Final at the Annual Breed Show at Weston Lawns, see H & H 8 October, page 86)
Many congratulations also go to our Vice President, Robert Oliver, and Mrs B White, on their fantastic win - The Irish Draught flag was well flown!
Norma Grubb
The Society is producing a 2011 Calendar which will be on sale in November 2010. The Calendar will contain photographs of Irish Draught horses in their natural surroundings.
I am writing to ask for the Irish Draught Horse Society of Great
Britain's support for an international project known as the Irish Draught Horse
Conservancy. Briefly, the Conservancy is a new charitable organization
funded by private donations and run by unpaid volunteers. Our
international group is comprised of breeders, veterinarians, and scientists who
are dedicated to the conservation, preservation, and protection of the Irish
Draught Horse breed. 
