Supreme glory for Abbey

An Irish Draught mare powers her way to the supreme title, home-bred brothers clinch a host of tricolours and cousins take the spoils at Burghley

- CELESTE GALL

JO AYKROYD’S exceptional purebred Irish Draught mare Ellistown Grey Abbey landed the champion mare title en route to the supreme in-hand spoils, led by Gillian Black.

“Gillian persuaded me to let her show her. She is such a powerhouse of a mare that truly owns the ring when she walks in and is a true show girl,” said Jo, who also stood champion with her at Great Yorkshire on her only other outing this season.

“I’m very passionate about the Irish Draught breed so when I saw Abbey for sale in Ireland two years ago, I felt she would be extremely valuable to my breeding programme. She is in foal to my own stallion Bannvalley Pride Of Midnight so hopefully she will be out next year with her foal at foot,” explained Jo.