Irish Sport Horse crowned leading Studbook at Eventing Young Horse World Championships in Le Lion

The Irish Sport Horse Studbook has won another world title following the conclusion of the six and seven-year-old competitions at the World Championships for Young Eventing horses at Le Lion in France.

Four Irish Sport Horses finished in the top 10 in the six-year-old division. The Irish Sport Horse I Spye, bred by Thomas Ryan from Co Tipperary, finished in fourth place with Jesse Campbell (NZL). Elizabeth Power and The Irish Sport Horse DSL The Entertainer, bred by Caroline Bjoerk from Co. Kildare, were just one place further back in fifth, while Rio Olympian Jonty Evans with John The Bull (ISH), bred by James Byrne from Co. Westmeath, finished in ninth place. Youve got the Lux (ISH), bred in Co Kilkenny by Jane Darragh, finished 10th with Hayden Hankey (GBR).

In the seven-year-old competition, two Irish Sport Horses went on to finish in the top eight. Direct Cassino (ISH), bred in Co Cork by Mary McCarthy, took the silver medal with Izzy Taylor (GBR), while SRS Kan Do (ISH), bred in Co Westmeath by Michael Donner, finished eighth with Kylie Roddy (GBR).

The best three scores of each studbook in both age categories counted towards the overall standings, with The Irish Sport Horse Studbook crowned champions ahead of the Selle Francais (SF) studbook in second, and the Dutch Sport Horse Studbook (DSP) in third. The Holsteiner Studbook finished fourth followed by KWPN, OLDBG and HANN which finished seventh of 12 Studbook’s represented at the championships.

Earlier this month, The Irish Sport Horse Studbook was once again crowned the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) leading Eventing Studbook in the world for 2017. Since the WBFSH rankings were established in 1994, the Irish Sport Horse Studbook has won the coveted Eventing Studbook rankings for an incredible 22 of the last 24 years.

BREEDING:
6-year-olds
4th I Spye II (ISH) [was Lates Harry] – 2011 mare by Harlequin du Carel (SF) out of Lombardos Corner (ISH) by Lombardo (KWPN). Breeder: Thomas Ryan (Tipperary). Rider: Jesse Campbell (NZL)
5th DSL The Entertainer (ISH) – 2011 bay gelding by Omar (BWP) out of Cloverhill Girl (ISH), by Clover Hill (ID). Owner/Bred by Caroline Bjoerk, Co. Kildare. Rider: Elizabeth Power (IRL)
9th John The Bull (ISH) – 2011 chestnut gelding by Luidam (KWPN) out of Think About It (TB), by Houmayoun (TB). Bred by James Byrne, Co. Westmeath. Owner: Helen Caton. Rider: Jonty Evans (IRL)
10th Youve got the Lux (ISH) – 2011 mare by Lux Z (HANN) out of Valeska (ISH). by Carrolls Flight (AES). Breeder: Jane Darragh, Co Kilkenny. Rider: Hayden Hankey (GBR)

7-year-olds
Direct Cassino. (ISH) – 2010 gelding by Cassino (SWWB) out of Diamonds Double (ISH) by Ceredigion (TB). Breeder: Mary Mc Carthy (Cork). Rider: Izzy Taylor (GBR)
SRS Kan Do (ISH) – 2010 gelding by VDL Arkansas (KWPN) out of La Vie En Rose (ISH) by Touchdown (ISH). Breeder: Michael Donner (Westmeath). Rider: Kylie Roddy (GBR)