Dublin Horse Show 2022 - Further Development to Showing Classes and Competitions

The RDS is delighted to announce further developments to its showing section for the 2022 Dublin Horse Show, which will take place from Wednesday, the 17th to Sunday, the 21st of August inclusive. 

• Removal of the age restriction in the Show Hunter classes
• A class for traditionally bred Working Hunters
• The return of the €5,000 ‘thoroughbred’ foal class with a twist

In addition to the recently announced 53% increase in prize funds across the Show Hunter classes, the three weight categories; light, middle and heavyweight, will now be open to horses of all ages. The previous restriction to 8-year-olds and under will be removed and several classes across the three weight categories will now be open to horses 6 years old and over.  In recent years there has been an increased market for well-produced older horses, and it was decided to therefore open the classes to the more seasoned animals.

A new Working Hunter class for traditionally Irish-bred horses will take place on the Sunday of the Show. The class will be open to mares, geldings and stallions aged 5 to 10 years old. It will be open to Traditional Irish Horses (TIH) only and eligibility for the class will be based on the horse having three successive generations of recorded Irish traditional pedigree i.e., one to some, of all the three basic constituent breeds being Irish Draught (ID); Connemara Pony (CP); and Thoroughbred (TB/XX).

The RDS will re-introduce its €5,000 ‘thoroughbred’ foal class under the Mares & Foals section with a new twist this year. The entry criteria have been widened to include foals out of Thoroughbred mares, as well as foals by Thoroughbred stallions. The €5,000 prize fund will be awarded amongst the three highest-placed foals – 1st - €3,000, 2nd – €1,500 and 3rd - €500.

Following on from the decision to split the Breeders’ Championship into two classes, to cater for those breeders aiming to produce show jumping foals and those producing foals for eventing, it has been agreed to remove the requirement for exhibitors to present their horses using ‘the triangle’ format. The Breeders Championship classes in addition to the presentation phase of the Three-Year-Old Potential Event Horse class will now take the format of a traditional in-hand showing class. While the ‘triangle’ format allowed judges to evaluate conformation and get an optimum view of horses in walk and trot from one location, it was not popular amongst Irish exhibitors.