Stallion Selections

2024 Horse Sport Ireland Stallion Selections

The 2024 Horse Sport Ireland Stallion Selections took place over two days, the 21^st and 22^nd of March, in Cavan Equestrian Centre. These selections are supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine Equine Technical Support fund.

Across the two days, a total of 39 stallions were presented for inspection, 9 Irish Sport Horse stallions, 10 Foreign Bred stallions, 3 Thoroughbred stallions, and 17 Irish Draught stallions.

In the Irish Draught stallion selections seventeen stallions were presented for inspection and six achieved Class 1 status.

Eight stallions were Approved in the Irish Sport Horse Studbook, four of which were high-performance stallions presented for linear profiling that met all the requirements of the Irish Sport Horse Studbook based on their competition results. Three thoroughbred stallions were approved, of which two were approved based on their timeform rating, and the third stallion met the Irish Sport Horse Studbook athletic requirements on the inspection day. One Irish Draught stallion was approved based on his performance also.

Of the eleven stallions that presented for Stage 1 of the Irish Sport Horse Studbook, four of these met the Stage 1 inspection requirements. Four stallions that passed Stage 1 in 2023 returned for their Stage 2 assessment where they were ridden by their own rider, and also the HSI test rider; Damien Grifin.
Of these four, three stallions met the Stage 2 requirements to be classified as Preliminary Approved in the Irish Sport Horse Studbook.

“The Irish Draught stallions on Thursday 21st were well presented for their assessment. On the whole, they were well turned out and in good condition,  fit enough for their performance element. The whole group showed the kind temperament that the Irish Draught is renowned for;  well-mannered and well behaved.

There is a wider genetic pool now as numbers increase in the herd and breeders are aware of the need for diversity. As always some very good examples of the breed came forward and a respectable percentage gained Class 1 status.
Two panels of inspectors worked efficiently, and all horses got the adequate time required for their assessment.” – Michael Kirwan, Irish Draught Studbook selection panel Chairperson.

Jack Doyle, Irish Sport Horse Studbook selection panel Chairperson added the following:

“Year on year the quality of stallions being presented improves. This year there were some very impressive young stallions accepted and the panel were pleased with the stallions that met the requirements for Approved, Preliminary Approved and Stage 1. We’d also like to acknowledge the standard of presentation for the horses that were brought forward to the selections”

Commenting on the 2024 inspections, Sonja Egan, HSI Head of Breeding, Innovation and Development, stated

“The 2024 Horse Sport Ireland Studbook stallion selections were a great success, on Thursday six Irish draughts were allocated Class 1 and 11 Class 2. The presenting Irish Draughts ranged in mean kinship from 0.8% – 2.5%. This figure refers to the stallion’s degree of genetic relatedness to the active Irish Draught (ID) mare herd and the lower the mean kinship, the “rarer” the bloodline of the stallion is. One Irish Draught Stallion WGS Irish Rajah was also approved in the Irish Sport Horse Studbook owing to his own performance. As always we were delighted to be joined by the hugely dedicated and passionate group of Irish Draught breeders who travelled nationally and internationally to see the 2024 presenting Irish Draught stallions.  On Friday morning a 4-year-old Traditional Irish Horse Stallion, Carrick Diamond Royale (ISH)[TIH] received stage 1, one thoroughbred stallion Globe Theatre (USA) was approved, with an additional two thoroughbred stallions approved through their timeform rating. These results have garnered much attention from Traditional Irish horse breeders, and those seeking to include more blood in their breeding programme.

Three further Irish Sport Horse stallions attained Stage 1, including MHS Magical (ISH) who was the 2021 show jumping foal champion – demonstrating the value of existing initiatives in identifying future potential. We’re all delighted that on this occasion face masks are but a memory too! An additional four performance stallions were fully Approved in the Irish Sport Horse studbook based on their performance. Finally, the Irish Sport Horse studbook were delighted to invite out an additional 10 stallions to recognise their Approved status in the studbook in addition, Landsdowne (KWPN) and Caracas (AWHA) were recognised for the 5* status within the ISH Studbook.

We wish all breeders a very successful 2024 breeding season, I’m sure many of the classified stallions presented over the two days will feature in this year’s breeding decisions nationwide!“

Among the eight stallions awarded full approval were four high-performance horses, Lansdowne (KWPN) who was ridden by Conor Swail internationally for Ireland and was on the team that competed at the 2013 FEI European Showjumping Championships in Herning, Denmark. He also featured on the Irish team that competed in the 2013 Aga Khan team at the RDS Dublin Horse Show CSIO5*. His own showjumping results earned him the 5* SJ OP merit.

The Australian Warmblood Horse; Caracas was also among the stallions who earned his approval in Cavan. Formerly ridden by Belgium’s Jos Verlooy, Caracas won the 1.60m CSIO5* Grand Prix of Rotterdam, Netherlands as well as second place finishes in the CSI5* GCT in Mexico City, Mexico and the 1.60m World Cup Qualifier at the CSI5*-W in Mechelen, Belgium.
His showjumping results also earned him the 5* SJ OP merit.

The third high-performance stallion approved was the 2011 Zangersheide stallion Milton Z. Travelling from Belgium especially for the approvals, Milton Z was a part of the Belgian team that won the 1.55m CSIO4*-W Nations Cup in Rabat, Morocco in December 2023 with Cyril Cools.
He’d previously been a part of the Belgian team that finished third at the CSIO5* Nations Cup in La Baule, France when ridden by Jerome Guery. He was awarded the 4* SJ OP merit for his showjumping performances.

No stranger to Cavan Equestrian Centre, having previously finished fifth there in an Autumn Grand Prix in 2022, Darius Peguignon (SF) was also given his full approval at the Irish Sport Horse Studbook inspections. Recently the ride has been taken over by French rider Kevin Staut and the duo made their first appearance together at the CSI4* Zangersheide International in February 2024.
This stallion descends from the same damline as the multiple wining former ride of Edwina Tops-Alexander, Cevo Itot Du Chateau (SF).
Darius Peguignon was awarded the 2* SJ OP merit.

Three thoroughbred stallions were given approval at the Stallion Selections.
Two of the three, Fountain Of Youth (IRE) and Urban Poet (USA) were approved based on their timeform ratings and the third; Globe Theatre (USA), met the loose jumping athletic requirements to gain approval.

The Irish Draught stallion WGS Irish Rajah (IDC1) earned his full approval in the Irish Sport Horse Studbook based on his consistent performances at 1.20m level, earning a Silver Merit for his performance along the way.

Three stallions were granted Preliminary Approved status at the 2024 Stallion Selections. This classification lasts until the stallion is 14 years of age unless they’re upgraded to full approval by jumping four double clear rounds at national 1.40m level, or two double clear rounds at CSI2* 1.40m level or the equivalent in eventing or dressage.

Irish Sport Horse Studbook Stallion Inspection Results 2024

Additional Stallions Approved in the Irish Sport Horse Studbook

WGS Irish Rajah (IDC1) has a silver merit for show jumping.

Irish Draught Horse Studbook Stallion Inspection Results 2024

Horse Sport Ireland Studbook inspections are supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Equine Technical Support fund.

Historical Stallion Selection Results

To read the full results from the 2023 Horse Sport Ireland Stallion Selections, click here!

Click here to access the Stallion Selection Result Archive

Voluntary Code of Practice for Stallion and Mare Owners

HSI has published a Voluntary Code of Practice for Stallion and Mare Owners which was produced by the Irish Equine Centre. This publication outlines voluntary recommendations to help breeders, in conjunction with their veterinary surgeons, to prevent and control specific equine diseases. Download the Code of Practice