Ard Ginger Pop (ISH) takes Silver, while Bertram Allen (IRL) claims Gold at Lanaken

The FEI WBFSH World Breeding Jumping Championships for Young Horses took place from 18th to 21st September in Lanaken, Belgium. Ireland celebrated huge success yesterday (Sunday) at the World Championships as the Irish Sport Horse Ard Ginger Pop claimed the 5 year old silver medal, while teenage sensation Bertram Allen took the 7 year old gold on a Dutch-bred horse. Irish Sport Horses were to the fore at Lanaken with Stacey Babes (GBR) and Pembrook Milenia (ISH) finished in fourth place in the 5 year old final, while Thomas O’Brien (IRL) and Mini Cruzano (ISH) finished in ninth place in the 7 year old final.

15 Irish Sport Horses were selected with Irish riders to represent the Irish Sport Horse Studbook at these prestigious Championships for 5, 6 and 7 year old horses. In addition to the Irish Sport Horses selected with Irish riders, there were four Irish Sport Horses entered with riders from outside of Ireland – Angelica Augustsson (SWE) with Ard Ginger Pop (ISH), Stacey Babes (GBR) with Pembrook Milenia (ISH) and Little Beach (ISH) and Victoria Gulliksen (NOR) with Mullandoy (ISH).

Competition is fierce at these Championships, where the best young horses in the world line out to compete. 236 five year olds started on Thursday for the first qualifier, with 273 starters in the 6 year old qualifier and 192 seven year olds. After two days of qualifier classes, six Irish Sport Horses qualified for their respective finals. Qualifying for the 5 year old final were Jim Derwin (IRL) with Deep Pockets (ISH), Angelica Augustsson (SWE) with Ard Ginger Pop (ISH) and Stacey Babes (GBR) with Little Beach (ISH) and Pembrook Milenia (ISH). Thomas O’Brien (ISH) and Mini Cruzano (ISH) qualified for the 6 year old final and for the 7 year old final Nicola FitzGibbon and Shantonagh (ISH) gained qualification. Irish rider Bertram Allen, who finished best of the Irish in seventh at the World Equestrian Games, also qualified his 7 year old NRPS mare Barnike for Sunday’s final.

The 5 year old final saw 44 young horses line out to contest the World Championship. The silver medal went to the Irish Sport Horse mare Ard Ginger Pop (ISH) who was bred by Heather Dean-Wright in County Meath. Formerly ridden by Ireland’s Ger O’Neill, Ard Ginger Pop (ISH) has enjoyed huge success on the national circuit this year. In the Irish Sport Horse Studbook Showjumping Series, the mare took the League title, after consistently strong performances throughout the Series leading to her winning the final leg at Tattersalls and taking the League. The combination went on to compete in the young horse classes at Dublin Horse Show, where they finished first in their qualifier class and took second place in the 5 Year Old Championship.

In fact the horse has had such a superb run that new rider, Sweden’s Angelica Augustsson, felt under considerable pressure as the competition got underway in Belgium. Purchased for €95,000 at the Goresbridge Supreme Sale in conjunction with the Irish Breeders Classic in County Kilkenny earlier this month, Ard Ginger Pop (ISH) is now co-owned by Carl Hanley and Ashford Farm’s Enda Carroll. She combines some of Ireland’s most-treasured genes with her dam, Derrylea Grey Lady (ISH), a daughter of Hartwell Stud’s Cruising (ISH) who died earlier this month at the ripe old age of 29.

Britain’s Stacey Babes and the Irish Sport Horse mare Pembrook Milenia finished in fourth place in the final. This daughter of Diamant De Semilly was an embryo transfer out of the dam Pembrook Lisalea and was bred by Kilmashogue Stud in County Wicklow.

In the 6 year old final, where 42 combinations had qualified to compete, Mini Cruzano (ISH) and Thomas O’Brien (IRL) were best of the Irish finishing in ninth place in the Championship class.

In the 7 Year Old Championships it was Ireland’s Bertram Allen and Barnike (NRPS) who claimed the gold medal and made history being the first combination to have recorded back-to-back wins at this prestigious event.

The rider who is based in Muenster, Germany, at the yard previously owned by Irish international, Jessica Kuerten, talked about Barnike’s career since last year’s victory.  “We did a few shows after Lanaken and they went well, but then she had a long rest of three or four months before starting again, and it took longer to bring her back this time. She was too fresh at first, but eventually she improved. I wasn’t expecting to win when I brought her here this time though!” Allen said.

“I took risks and the mare jumped even better against the clock – I think she likes to run!” he added.

The 15 Irish Sport Horses who were selected to represent the Irish Sport Horse Studbook are detailed below.

5 year old Irish Sport Horses:

• Deep Pockets (ISH) & Jim Derwin (IRL)
• Graf Balouprint (ISH) & Catherine Thornton (IRL)
• LCC Crystal (ISH) & Linda Courtney (IRL)
• LCC Puss N Boots (ISH) & Lucy Buchanan (IRL)
• LCC Troy (ISH) & Linda Courtney (IRL)

6 year old Irish Sport Horses:

• Good Lux Lucy (ISH) & Daniela O’Toole (IRL)
• Highly Efficient (ISH) & Tholm Keane (IRL)
• LCC Hello Kate (ISH) & Lucy Buchanan (IRL)
• Lenamore Lucy Lou (ISH) & Kenneth Graham (IRL)
• Mini Cruzano (ISH) & Thomas O’Brien (IRL)

7 year old Irish Sport Horses:

• Brookwood Supersonic (ISH) & Sean Kavanagh (IRL)
• Erne Ladygoldilocks (ISH) & Francis Connors (IRL)
• KMS Clintland (ISH) & Neal Fearon (IRL)
• Lates Du Carel (ISH) & Francis Connors (IRL)
• Shantonagh (ISH) & Nicola FitzGibbon (IRL)

Breeding of all Irish Sport Horses at Lanaken 2014:

• Ard Ginger Pop (ISH) – 2009 mare by Luidam (KWPN) out of Derrylea Greylady (ISH), by Cruising (ISH). Bred by Heather Dean-Wright, Co. Meath. Owner: Carl Hanley & Enda Carroll. Rider: Angelica Augustsson (SWE)
• Deep Pockets (ISH) – 2009 gelding by O.B.O.S. Quality 004 (OLD) out of Simply Chic (ISH), by Cruising (ISH). Bred by Charles Pidgeon, Co. Westmeath. Owner/Rider: Jim Derwin (IRL)
• Graf Balouprint (ISH) – 2009 mare by Balou Du Rouet (OLD) out of Graf Ladylady (ISH), by Limmerick (HOLST). Bred by Brian Livingstone, Co. Down. Owner: Catherine Thornton & Brian Livingstone. Rider: Catherine Thornton (IRL)
• LCC Crystal (ISH) – 2009 mare by Lux Z (ZANG) out of Sillot Sea Beauty (ISH), by Cruising (ISH). Bred by David Hogan, Co. Clare. Owner/Rider: Linda Courtney (IRL)
• LCC Puss N Boots (ISH) – 2009 gelding by Lux Z (HANN) out of Spring Pride (WNTR), by Spring Elegance (WNTR). Bred by Andrew Kirwan, Co. Waterford. Owner: Linda Courtney. Rider: Lucy Buchanan (IRL)
• LCC Troy (ISH) – 2009 gelding by Clinton (HOLST) out of Ark Of Diamonds (ISH), by VDL Arkansas (KWPN). Owner/Bred by Linda Courtney Cadam, Co. Antrim. Rider: Linda Courtney (IRL)
• Little Beach (ISH) – 2009 mare by Beach Ball (ISH) out of Elley’s Next In Line (ISH), by Coevers Diamond Boy (ISH). Bred by Norman E Watt, Co. Tyrone. Owner: Michael Meller & Cathy Gallagher. Rider: Stacey Babes (GBR)
• Pembrook Milenia (ISH) – 2009 mare by Diamant De Semilly (SF) out of Pembrook Lisalea (ISH), by Lux Z (HANN). Bred by Kilmashogue Stud, Co. Wicklow. Owner: Michael Meller & Wrenwood Stables. Rider: Stacey Babes (GBR)
• Good Lux Lucy (ISH) – 2008 mare by Lux Z (HANN) out of Donogue Cavalier Girl (ISH), by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Bred by George Hill, Co. Monaghan. Owner: Peter O’Toole. Rider: Daniela O’Toole (IRL)
• Highly Efficient (ISH) – 2008 mare by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan (BWP) out of Derha Fort (ISH), by Coolcaum Hill (ID). Bred by Senan Canny, Co. Clare. Owner: Amanda Kirwan. Rider: Tholm Keane (IRL)
• LCC Hello Kate (ISH) – 2008 mare by Luidam (KWPN) out of LCC Molly (ISH), by Courage II (HOLST). Bred by Fr Simon Cadam, Co. Antrim. Owner: Linda Courtney. Rider: Lucy Buchanan (IRL)
• Lenamore Lucy Lou (ISH) – 2008 mare by Lux Z (HANN) out of Going Dutch (ISH), by Dutch Courage (ISH). Bred by Barbara Fitzpatrick, Co. Dublin. Owner: Geraldine Graham. Rider: Kenneth Graham (IRL)
• Mini Cruzano (ISH) – 2008 mare by Silvano (KWPN) out of Hyundai Santa Fe (ISH), by Cruising (ISH). Bred by Oliver Walsh, Co. Galway. Owner: Leona Walsh. Rider: Thomas O’Brien (IRL)
• Brookwood Supersonic (ISH) – 2007 mare by Concorde (KWPN) out of Brookwood First Lady (ISH), by Captain Clover (ISH). Owner/Bred by Pat Duffy, Co. Kildare. Rider: Sean Kavanagh (IRL)
• Erne Ladygoldilocks (ISH) – 2007 mare by Ard VDL Douglas (KWPN) out of Erne Touch (ISH). Owner/Bred by Hugh Fitzpatrick, Co. Cavan. Rider: Francis Connors (IRL)
• KMS Clintland (ISH) – 2007 gelding by Clinton (HOLST) out of Uganna (KWPN), by Corland (HOLST). Owner/Bred by Ivor Broderick, Co. Galway. Rider: Neal Fearon (IRL)
• Lates Du Carel (ISH) – 2007 mare by Harlequin Du Carel (SF) out of Phillies Corner (ISH), by Kalypso (KWPN). Bred by Thomas Ryan, Co. Tipperary. Owner: Hilda Anthony. Rider: Francis Connors (IRL)
• Mullandoy (ISH) – 2007 mare by Metropole (KWPN) out of Churchill Champion (ISH), by Hildenely (TB). Bred by Sean Duffy, Co. Monaghan. Owner: Stall Gullik AS. Rider: Victoria Gulliksen (NOR)
• Shantonagh (ISH) – 2007 gelding by Power Blade (TB) out of Diamond Explosion (ISH), by King Of Diamonds (ID). Owner/Bred by Dermot Forde, Co. Cavan. Rider: Nicola FitzGibbon (IRL)