Irish Draught Horse Society GB 31st Annual Breed Show 2010
by Ellen Walton
 

Under the new directorship of Janet George, the Society’s Annual Breed Show, held on 18 and 19 September 2010, moved to Arena UK at Grantham, Lincolnshire. The all-weather and indoor arenas provided an excellent venue. For the first time, there was a Gala Evening Performance. This included a Stallion Parade, the NFU Mutual & IDHS GB Youngstock Championship and the Blue Chip & IDHS (GB) £2,000 Challenge Championship. There was also the usual successful hog roast and evening entertainment.

Cabra West, Sam Roche’s homebred gelding by Skippy Too RID out of Warren House Princess AID, on his way to winning the Blue Chip Championship for the second year running.
Photo: © Real Time Imaging.

Sam Roche’s Cabra West, her homebred chestnut gelding by Skippy Too, beat off very strong opposition to win the Blue Chip/IDHS GB £2,000 Championship for the second year running. This has never been achieved before.

Speaking after her win, Sam said: ‘winning the Blue Chip for a second time is a dream come true. He really rose to the occasion, and loved the excellent surfaces at Arena UK. I owe Blue Chip twice for this title - once for providing the support and sponsorship but also for Blue Chip Original, which keeps him looking his best.’ Sam and Cabra West collected further silverware in the Irish Draught gelding in hand class and Championship, as well as becoming Reserve Ridden Champion.
 

Reserve Champion in the Blue Chip was another purebred heavyweight gelding, Christian Kwek's Jack Daniels IX, by Annaghdown Star RID. Ridden class entries were up on last year, proving their continued popularity even in these tough times. Jack Cochrane riding the six year old cob, Hallmark IX, by Welcome Flagmount out of a Glenagyle Rebel mare, showed versatility by winning the Irish Draught Performance Horse Championship, coming fourth in the Blue Chip and collecting the award for the highest placed 15.2 and under. The same horse then came out on Sunday, ridden by his owner Rosemary Hetherington, to win the ridden cob class and the Ridden Championship.

Other ridden horses with consistent records were Ann Harrison with her Roma Diamond Skip RID gelding Grin ‘n’ Bear It. He achieved three firsts and a second, winning two dressage classes and the combined training class. Alison Davis’s seven year old bay sport horse gelding by The Bard, Kenlis Caruso, won a performance horse class, the open working hunter class and took reserve in the Working Hunter Championship.

Right: Ridden Champion and Performance Horse Champion: Rosemary Hetherington’s RID gelding Hallmark IX, by Welcome Flagmount out of Rebel Rose, bred by Martin Howley. Photo: © Real Time Imaging.

Kay Chapman, who owns the RID stallion Connaught Grey, who is by Powerswood Purple out of a Grey Macha mare, had a field day with her two year old ID filly Heatherdale Roccon. By Connaught Grey out of the Hawklands Silver Prince mare, Franklyns Silver Crest, she won the NFU Championship. She also won the ID two year old filly class, followed by the ID Filly Championship and was Reserve Supreme ID Youngstock Champion. She concluded her day of success by being part of the winning progeny group class for her sire, Connaught Grey.

Heatherdale Roccon played a unique part in this class, as she also was a member of the second placed progeny group, with her dam Franklyn’s Silver Crest and her grey colt foal Heatherdale Icon who had won his class. All five horses were bred by Kay.
 

Mrs Kay Chapman’s two year old filly Heatherdale Roccon on her way to winning the NFU Youngstock Championship.
Photo: © Real Time Imaging.

The two year old ID gelding, Bowland Lucky Slipper by Alice’s Diamond Slipper, belonging to Mr and Mrs M Cornthwaite of Bowland Stud, had a mirror success story to Heatherdale Roccon. He won his NFU Class, followed by the ID Colt/Gelding Championship and Supreme ID Youngstock Championship. He took reserve place in the NFU championship to Heatherdale Roccon. Bowland Bracken Breeze won the ID yearling filly class to stand Reserve in the £250 Yearling Championship

Mrs H Bramley’s Diamond Design, ID
Sport HorseYoungstock Champion.
Photo: © Real Time Imaging.

Another success in the in hand section was Mrs N Grubb’s purebred yearling gelding Appledark Magic Touch, by Skip and Sea. He continued his winning ways by taking top place in the NFU yearling section, the ID yearling colt/gelding class and then won the ID Yearling Championship.

Hazel Bramley also had a very good day, collecting the cups with all her stock. The mare Mill on the Floss by Mill Law won her class and the ID SH Mare Championship. Her foal by Roma Diamond Skip won his class, and was reserve ID SH Youngstock Cham- pion. Diamond Design, a yearling by the same sire, won his class and the ID SH Youngstock Championship; another record.
 

A wonderful experience awaited Mrs C. Hutchinson from East Anglia, who had only recently moved to the UK from Northern Ireland. Mrs Hutchinson brought an ID mare, Huntcombe Crystal by Luke Skywalker, forward for grading and she was duly placed in Class 1 (RID). However, she hadn’t
realised she could enter her mare in the show before the grading, so she entered on the day. To her surprise she won the graded mare class, then went on to take the ID Mare Championship and the Irish Draught Supreme Championship.

Congratulations to every competitor who won prizes at the Annual Breed Show. Also, we hope that everyone who entered the show enjoyed it. The IDHS GB gratefully thanks Janet George and Sara Williams, who put in a huge effort to make it all work. We also thank all our wonderful sponsors, judges, stewards and helpers, indeed everyone, for making the show so successful. Competitors came from far and wide, had a great weekend meeting old friends and making new ones. It was lovely to welcome our friends from Ireland and we hope that everyone enjoyed the occasion.

The mare who surprised and shocked her owner, Mrs C Hutchinson’s Huntscombe Crystal, Supreme Irish Draught Champion.
Photo: © Real Time Imaging.