Vard appointed team manager for Irish young horse squads

Ireland Young Horse Squads team manager Taylor Vard

Horse Sport Ireland is delighted to announce the appointment of Taylor Vard as the young horse show jumping team manager until 2027.

Vard will once again lead the Irish teams for the 2025 FEI World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) Jumping World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken and WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy in Valkenswaard.

These events give breeders of Irish Sport Horses (ISH) and Irish Warmbloods (WSI) the unique opportunity to represent both team Ireland and their studbook at young horse championship events on the world stage.

Vard has been reappointed to the roles following two successful campaigns at the helm, which delivered numerous Irish medals and team placings at the championships in 2023 and 2024.

In 2024 the Irish Studbooks team saw Lanaken medal wins for the likes of Mikey Pender, Michael Duffy and Niamh McEvoy. The Irish Sport Horse studbook team added a team silver in Valkenswaard as Emma O’Dwyer, Molly Hughes Bravo and Lt. Michaeli Byrne finished second at the Dutch venue.

In 2023 Vard was at the helm for a full Irish Lanaken podium in the 5-year-old section for Mikey Pender, Niamh McEvoy and Ger O’ Neill followed by a silver medal finish for Leah Stack in the 6-year-olds with the late Dr. Noel Cawley-bred Laurina (ISH).

The Irish studbooks team also returned two second place consolation finishes for the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland in the five- and six-year-old sections for Nicholas Connors and Jump the Gun (WSI) and Patrick Hickey aboard Silver Teal Indigo (WSI) respectively.

Vard has been heavily involved in Irish senior show jumping teams over the past two decades, acting as Chef d’Equipe for numerous Nations Cup teams, and was on the ground as Ireland finished second in the EEF Series Final in Warsaw last September.

He brings a wealth of experience to the role, having acted as Chef d’Equipe for the senior show jumping squad on several occasions over the course of the past 20 years and has also served in an advisory capacity across several High-Performance programmes, including for the Irish team that won gold at the 2017 European Show jumping Championship in Gothenburg.

Vard and is the current Deputy Chef d’Equipe for Michael Blake’s senior Irish show jumping squad, who lead the standings in the 2025 Longines League of Nations.

Speaking about his re-appointment, Vard said: “It is an honour to be asked to take up the position as Chef d’Equipe for Lanaken and Valkenswaard for another term. The Irish studbooks, teams and athletes have enjoyed fantastic success over the past two years, and I’m delighted to be working with Horse Sport Ireland again in 2025 as we bid to emulate that success.

“I would like to thank the team at Horse Sport Ireland for their continued support of the Lanaken and Valkenswaard teams and athletes and I’m very much looking forward to the selection process, as well as the championships themselves.”

“We all know of the prestige of a Lanaken medial, but I am also excited by the prospect of growing the team and participation of our Irish combination at Valkenswaard.

“Lanaken is more set up for the professional combinations, both rider and horse, where they jump the finals at heights 1.30m, 1.40m and 145.m as they go through the five-, six- and seven-year-old categories, and it’s against the clock.

“That isn’t so much the case in Valkenswaard, and the clock element is not there, so it really is an opportunity to develop young horses and develop riders. It is an excellent competition which gives athletes an opportunity to ride on an Irish team and in a nations cup style competition. We have a strong reputation in Lanaken, and I want to support team Ireland to gain the same reputation for success at Valkenswaard.

Sonja Egan, Head of Breeding, Innovation and Development said: “Taylor has done a superb job since he has been in the role in 2023, delivering medals while supporting athlete coaching, development, and preparation for the championships.

“We are delighted that Taylor has accepted the role of Chef d’Equipe for the championships for the next term – he has been hugely successful, not only in these roles, but in his work with the senior show jumping programme and we are very much looking forward to working with him in the selection of horse-rider combinations and preparation for Lanaken and Valkenswaard.”

“Taylor has contributed greatly to the programme in the past and been at the helm for many of the teams ‘firsts’ which ultimately have generated more opportunities for Irish Studbooks, breeders and combinations while also opening the door to wider performance success.  I look forward to watching this continually grow over his next term. I share his ambition to continually encourage and develop the teams attending the Valkenswaard championships and am looking forward to supporting his leadership in this space”

The FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championships for Young Horses will take place from the September 24^th-28th, 2025 in Lanaken, Belgium. The WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy in Valkenswaard, Netherlands, takes place on October 1^st-5^th,2025.

The selection policies and expression of interest will be released shortly.

Breeding:

Laurina (ISH) 2017, Mare by Stakkato Gold (Hann) out of Rincarina (ISH)[TIH], by Cruising (ISH)[TIH]
Breeder and owner: Dr. Noel Cawley, Co. Kildare Rider: Leah Stack (IRL)

Jump The Gun (WSI) 2018, Gelding by I’m Special De Muze (BWP) out Just Jump (ISH), by Master Imp (TB) Breeder and owner: Ann Connors, Co. Waterford Ridden by Nicholas Connors (IRL)

Silverteal Indigo (WSI) 2017, Mare by Emerald Van’t Ruytershof (BWP) out of Dunroe Rafi (ISH) by Lux Z (Hann). Breeder: Paschal McCarthy, Co. Cork Owner: Simon McCarthy Rider: Patrick Hickey (IRL)