Mid-Antrim Hunt competitors excel at Dublin Horse Show

They came third equal and were only put out by the winners after a faultless couple of rounds.

They should be very pleased with themselves as they made no mistakes and were beaten by the very professional team of the Killinicks in the semi finals.

The team consisted of Beverley Caves, Orlaith McLaughlin, Fiona Magill and Jamie Sloan who should be congratulated on the great effort needed to get to Dublin Show, and to do so well there.

They are very grateful to Andy Hamilton who provided the first impetus for the team and has driven so many miles for them, encouraging them all the way.

Orlaith’s father Davy McLaughlin has been a stalwart Chef D’Equipe, also putting the miles in and helping at every turn.

On a few occasions Paul Caves and Benny O’Kane have stood in as substitutes but in general it has been the same four which has enabled them to get their performance honed to the high level and speed required.

The team won the Best Turned Out prize for the league, which shows the attention to detail put into the presentation of themselves and their horses. Fiona Sloan won the most entertaining rider, a role that had previously gone to George Devlin and Ian Wilson in the past at Balmoral.

Occasionally there has been a junior event at the Inter Hunt Chase League events and Joe and Bob Hamilton, Saoirse McLaughlin and Jamie Boyd have got a look in.

The really professional teams in the South use their hunt chasing horses only for that purpose and their horses will no doubt be out for the winter.

Not so with the Mid Antrim team who will perhaps be giving their horses a bit of a rest before getting them in again for the hunting season. Hopefully after the thrill of the main arena at the RDS in front of a huge noisy crowd, the hunting won’t seem too tame!