Ian Cassells leads the way from an Irish perspective at the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships for Young Horses at Le Lion D’Angers.
The championships kicked off on day 1 in France with dressage for 7-year-olds and three Irish combinations took to the arena – Cassells, Sian Coleman and Alyssa O’Neill.
Cassells and Noa W lie in 19th place overnight after their test yielded a total of 32.8 penalties, the pair showing why they finished as runners-up in the DAFM Eventing Studbook Series League.
Just over four penalties behind overnight leader Lara De Liedekerke-Meier with Helios, Cassells will be very hopeful of eating into that deficit over the weekend with his KWPN gelding.
Coleman and Cairnview Crystal Springs (ISH), the mare bred and owned by Co. Longford’s Geraldine Quinn, totalled 38.4 penalties and will also be looking forward to Saturday’s cross country as they bid to cut the gap between themselves and the leaders.
Similer sentiments apply for O’Neill and Irish Sport Horse DS Candescent, bred in Co. Mayo by Liam Lynskey, had a long wait yesterday to compete as the penultimate combination down the centre line, and they finished with 39.1 penalties.
Tomorrow, the rest of the Irish will compete in Le Lion as the remainder of the 7-year-olds are tested in dressage, while the 6-year-old competition begins. First of the Irish into the arena will be Harry Horgan and HHE Fernhill McCoy (ISH) at 9.58am Irish time.
BREEDING:
Cairnview Crystal Springs (ISH). Mare by Tolan R (KWPN) out of Cairnview Clover Crystal (ISH)(TIH), by Clover Hill (ID). Bred and owned by Geraldine Quinn, Co. Longford and ridden by Sian Coleman (IRL).
DS Candescent (ISH). Gelding by Sligo Candy Boy (ISH) out of Largan Lady Cruise (ISH), by Cruising For Chics (ISH). Bred by Liam Lynskey, Co. Mayo, owned by Deborah McCann and Alyssa O’Neill and ridden by Alyssa O’Neill (IRL).
Noa W (KWPN). Gelding by Baltic VDL (KWPN) out of Gucretia (KWPN), by Indoctro (HOLST). Bred by G. Wierts, Netherlands, owned by Nuala McDonald and ridden by Ian Cassells (IRL).
Irish studbooks’ participation in Le Lion D’Angers is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under National Breeding Services.
