The inaugural Panacur Breeders Challenge took place on Saturday 20th August was a resounding success with good crowds, from both home and abroad, gathering to witness a magnificent exhibition of the cream of Northern Ireland bred 4 yr olds. The Panacur Breeders Challenge was run by the Northern Ireland Horse Board to find a “Potential Star of the Future” and held in the idyllic surroundings of main arena of Balmoral showgrounds by kind permission of Show of the North. A couple of English buyers came over to view the youngsters going through their paces. One horse has changed hands with a couple more sales in the pipeline, so keep this competition in mind if thinking of purchasing a horse next year and also if you purchase a NI bred youngster you too could share in the money. "It's a great opportunity to see their ability and view their temperament" one buyer was overheard to say.

It was pleasing to see a large crowd at the ringside when Keeford Topcat, owned, bred and ridden by Noel McKee was called forward as the very popular champion of the very first NIHB Panacur Breeders Challenge to take home a cheque for £2000. Keeford Topcat, a grey gelding by the eventing stallion Ringfort Tinkatoo, (who is now resident in America) out of his home bred mare by Cruising. 2nd was ICB Arjento by VDL Arkansas out of a mare by Touchdown owned by Patrick Hughes bred by Denise Kearney, 3rd Carlingfords Rainbow/Paircatsleibhe by Diamond Chin out of Garaba Princess also owned by Patrick Hughes bred by Kevin Martin, 4th Money Counts by Cruising ex Ruby Diamond owned by Jim Mc Evoy and bred by Leonard King, 5th Claggan Golden Warrior by VDL Arkansas ex Glenarney owned by Malachy Fox bred by WHV Cooper, 6th Leitrim Tutch of Silver by Chamber ex Silver Tutch owned and bred by Nicki Anderson, 7th Lyleview Supreme by Supreme Ginger ex Carlyle owned and bred by Viveca Montgomery, 8th Lux as If by Luz z owned by Jane Russell, 9th Ringfort Carrgheenjby Ringfort Cruise ex Danish Dynamite owned and bred by Harron Eakin Farms, 10th Strictly Business owned by Jill Andrews, 11th Claggan Dark Warrior by VDL Arkansas ex Drumnacross bred by WHV Cooper.

The competition was devised to recognise Northern Ireland bred horses and give recognition to breeders with a prize fund of £5000 being divided equally between owner and breeder down to tenth place. The competition required an athletic supple horse with good paces, good technique over a fence who looked well stripped out - a good sort who could go on to do a job was the type the NIHB were keen to highlight and in their winner Keeford Topcat they achieved this. Of the 61 horses who entered the competition 50 started on Saturday afternoon and all 50 completed and will think well of their experience, performed in front of flatwork judge: Yvonne Monaghan, jumping judge: Ian Fearon and conformation judge: Marily Power.. For some this will be the first time they have competed in such an atmosphere and it can only stand them in good stead for the future. 31 mares lined out and of these 7 made the final cut, a good sign for the future of our brood mare herd north of the border, while owner/breeders were represented by 3 combinations in the final section while almost half of those entered were owner bred. The 4 yr olds were asked to do a short flatwork test, followed by a jumping phase, which included natural fences and ranged from 70-100cm concluded by a conformation assessment. The top ten horses were then assessed as a riding class for their star quality and placed accordingly receiving marks 10,9,8 etc which were added to their previous score.

The competition this year took the format where you could enter your Northern Ireland bred 4 year olds a few weeks before the competition this will continue only for 2006 as an introduction to the Breeders Challenge sweepstake competition in 2007, where 4 year olds had to have been entered in 2003 as foals and paying the annual entry fee through to 2007 when they would have the chance to come forward to win big prize money, the like of which has never been seen in Northern Ireland before. This year’s foals can still be entered for the 2009 competition, so for as little as £10, contact the NIHB to enter your foal, and even if you sell the animal as a youngster, you will be eligible for the breeders prizes which the sponsors are matching pound for pound with the owners prizes.

To all those who produced 4 year olds for this competition, and especially to the breeders who held them this long, they are a credit to you and for those who have already entered their foals for the 2007 – 2009 competitions, well done. We acknowledge Northern Ireland has the ability to produce good quality horses and by providing a spectacle at the end of the season we hope to be able to help owners, breeders and producers highlight their products. A competition like this provides the perfect shop window for owners and breeders of Northern Ireland bred quality 4 year olds and it gives buyers an opportunity to view a number of horses together. Without breeders the industry, well and truly grinds to a halt, but much too often they are overlooked in the grand scheme of things.