Highland Show qualifiers were the main attraction in Ingliston Country Club’s recent schedule bringing riders from all around the country with well filled classes from start to finish.

One young man on fire all weekend was Kilmarnock’s Graham Babes who not only headed one of the qualifiers but was also seen scooping up some other classes on a wide variety of horses.

Working for the family business Babes Horses at Darwhilling farm, Graham has recently been selected as a Horse Scotland SJ Performance squad rider which spots talented young riders and supports them through ongoing training.

Riding Patricia Fraser’s lovely grey and former HOYS finalist Calvade Van De Pikkerie Z, Graham produced the fastest of just three double clears in the Royal Highland Show Power & Performance qualifier to stand at the head of the line relegating a new combination to the senior ranks into second.

Nicole Lockhead Anderson, who is still very much a force to be reckoned with in 148cms at the moment, has only been to a couple of shows with the former PJ Williams ride Kaliki yet they have already been jumping double clears.

Their foot perfect effort here was enough to slot into the second and final qualifying position.

So near yet so far for Aberdeen’s Fiona Good who was delighted with the performance of her home produced Fantom but slightly disappointed to be just outside the qualifying places.

Graham also added another 4 red rosettes to this one when he won a British Novice on Debbie, a Newcomers on Epinal, a 1.15 on Farao M and another newcomers on the lovely mare Ma Fluer JS, a daughter of the fashionable Emerald Vant Ruytershof whom Graham competed in four year old classes last year.

Making sure he has a few qualifiers under his belt before he heads off to foreign shores was Declan Irvine who picked up two RHS tickets over the weekend.

A trip to France is planned for Declan and Richard Duncan under their RD Sport Horses banner but before leaving Declan steered Richard’s nine year old Lupicor sired Mystic Independence into the lead in the 1.30m Open which incorporated the RHS Young Masters qualifier.

Being aimed at Foxhunter second rounds this year Mystic Independence narrowly missed out on B+ C qualification last weekend at Richmond EC and will now be stepped up to 1.40m Level this year.

A new ride for Declan, Angela Main’s Con Air sired Horatio Van Ter Hulst only just missed out in the foxhunter qualifier here but slotting into second place meant that they took a qualifying ticket nonetheless

This is another who will be aimed at second rounds and along with their Richmond B+C winner Fiona Quennell’s lovely grey Bernadette Lady H will head over to France for some mileage before the finals.

Winner of the Foxhunter qualifier this time was stylish young rider Holly Miller, who runs her own stable just outside Insch, on Gary Charlish’s impressive HHS Dramarko.

With seven double clears in the jump off, speed was to play a part in the placings.

Having already qualified for the Blue Chip B+C and being placed in bigger classes last year this pair looked fresh after a break cutting every corner to sneak out in front of Declan with Jennifer Thomson on her speedy Tawnmore Lux Furious having to settle for third and Fiona Good, on form the whole weekend with Fantom in fourth.

Helena Pedrosa was in winning form at her last visit to Ingliston and this show saw her the same with a warm up win in a fast 1.15m Open before she landed the one she really wanted, the RHS Amateur qualifier.

Once again the clock played an important role when the fences stayed up for seven combinations.

Carlisle’s Joanne Dixon was another multiple winner over the show mostly with her super speedy Day Dream but swapping onto the chestnut Larino 0087 who was originally produced in this country by Nicky Jennings she flew round to set a good target but so fast were the rest that this was to finish in fourth.

Lucy Stewart never hangs around but on this occasion found herself just outside the qualifying places in third with Cancun.

Kelly Connor Baillie took over the ride of Cleopatra from Jordan Thomson for this show and managed to outpace the rest to slot into eventual second leaving Helena and Abadan to fly round at speed and edge out in front in what was to be the fastest jump off of the weekend.