Eleven Irish Sport Horses qualify for Final of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) World Show jumping Championships

The Irish Sport Horse Studbook has 11 horses qualified for the final of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) World Show jumping Championships from a total of 709 horses entered and representing the world’s best studbooks.

Comdt. John Ledingham, the Irish Chef d’Equipe, said it is wonderful to have such a young age profile in our qualified athletes, Jack Ryan, Mark Finnerty, Susan Fitzpatrick, and Mikey Pender who are teenagers, and Kevin Gallagher who is 21 years old and Darragh Ryan 22 years. This augers very well for the future of young horse production in Ireland.

Also qualified for the final, are FEI 5* Grand Prix winners, Cameron Hanley and Richard Howley. Six-year-old World Champion 2016 and 2017, Ger O’Neill is once again qualified for the final and aiming for a record three in a row.

Can Jack, Susan and Mikey add WBFSH World Championship medals, to their haul of medals from the European Champions this summer at Fontainbleu.

Over 30 Irish Sport Horses have made the journey to Lanaken, Belguim this year and they have been very well supported by Irish breeders who have turned up in their hundreds to these Championships. They were delighted when Susan Fitzpatrick produced an outstanding performance to win the Seven-year-old qualifier.

We wish all the breeders, riders ant their Irish Sport Horses the Best of Luck in the finals tomorrow. And special thanks to Horseware for sponsoring the Young Horse Championship Irish representatives here at Lanaken, their support is very much appreciated by all the riders.

Details of the Irish finalists are;

7-Year-Olds

ESI TOULOUSE (ISH) 2011 G by SIEC LIVELLO (HOLST) out of CATINA (BWP), by QUASIMODO VD MOLENDREEF (BWP). Bred by CIAN O’CONNOR. Owner/ Rider: CAMERON HANLEY

HHS GENEVA (ISH) 2011 F by O.B.O.S. QUALITY 004 (OLD) out of CLOVER Z (ISH) by CLOVER HILL (ID) bred by MARION HUGHES owned by MIGUEL BRAVO & GEORGE L BRENNINGER. Rider: MIKEY PENDER

KEATINGSTOWN Z WELLIE TWO (ISH) 2011 M by Z WELLIE 72 (KWPN) out of MARCHIONESSE (ISH) bred and owned by SHARON FITZPATRICK. Rider SUSAN FITZPATRICK

LACKAMORE STORM (ISH) 2011 M by KROONGRAAF (KWPN) out of CURRABAWN SHAUNA (ISH) by INDOCTRO (HOLST) bred by IAN HESLIN owned by GRETCHEN JOHNSON. Rider: DARRAGH RYAN

ALL ACTION (ISH) 2011 M by ASKOLEAN JUDY (ISH) by TOUCHDOWN (ISH) bred and owned by RORY FINNERTY. Rider: MARK FINNERTY

6-Year-Olds

BBS MCGREGOR (ISH) 2012 G by CARDENTO (HOLST) out of RANDOM CHANCE (ISH) by MARK TWAIN (TB) bred and owned by MARGUERITE RYAN. Rider: JACK RYAN

CUFFESGRANGE CAVADORA (ISH) 2012 F by Z WELLIE 72 (KWPN) out of CUFFESGRANGE CAVALIDAM (ISH) by LUIDAM (KWPN) bred and owned by CLAIRE HUGHES. Rider: GER O’NEILL

5-Year-Olds

HHS VANCOUVER (ISH) 2013 by INDOCTRO (HOLST) out of LA JUANITA (ISH) by DON JUAN DE LA BOUVERIE (SBS) bred and owned by MARION HUGHES. Rider: MIKEY PENDER

MHS NEW YORK (ISH) 2013 G by QUIDAM JUNIOR I (KWPN) out of CAVALIER KELLS LADY (ISH) by CAVALIER ROYALE (HOLST) bred by THOMAS BRENNAN, owned by SINEAD BRENNAN. Rider: MIKEY PENDER

PRESIDENTIAL BALL (ISH) 2013 S by CLINTON (BE)(HOLST) out of ECHO PEACH (ISH) by CLOVER ECHO (ISH) bred and owned by BRENDAN MCSORLEY. Rider: KEVIN GALLAGHER

CSF SIR GEORGE (ISH) 2013 G by SIR SHUTTERFLY (HANN) out of NORRIRA (ISH) by CAVALIER ROYALE (HOLST), bred by SHANE CONNOLLY and owned by MOLLY TRACY. Rider: DARRAGH RYAN