Horse Sport Ireland Foal Championship Final 2022

Horse Sport Ireland were delighted to host the 2022 Foal Championship in Cavan Equestrian Centre on the 19th of October. The Championship concluded in Cavan after six regional qualifiers nationwide and nearly 200 hundred entries and boasted the best of Sport Horse and Sport Pony breeding in Ireland. Horse Sport Ireland awarded over €30,000 across the five categories to the best foals presented over the course of the championship. This initiative is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The HSI Foal Championship aims to identify, evaluate, and reward breeders who have bred a foal that has the potential to be competitive at the highest level in the disciplines of Show Jumping or Eventing. Horse Sport Ireland would like to extend their congratulations to all competitors on their success throughout the competition and to the breeders and owners of the 2022 Champion foals.

Six competitors were presented in the following four categories: Pony Show Jumping Foal, Pony Eventing Foal, Horse Show Jumping Foal and Horse Eventing Foal. The top six traditionally bred horse foals, across the competition, were judged and presented with the top Traditionally bred foal for 2022.

Horse Sport Ireland were delighted to be joined by an expert judging panel across each category. Gabriel Tunney and Norman Allen assessed the athleticism and potential aptitude of the Show Jumping foals. Eventing foals and Traditional foals were judged, separately, under the expert eyes of Nicola Ennis and Nicky Roncoroni, who commended the high standard this year.

Pony Eventing Foals

Pony Eventing Foals were the first section, at 1pm on the day. HSI Champion Pony Eventing Foal for 2022 went to Pineview Setanta (ISP), owned, and bred by Sharon Walsh. By Sander (NWP), out of Romanno Royal Angel (BRP), damsire Stanley Grange Regal Heights (BRP).

Horse Sport Ireland 2022 Champion Pony Eventing Foal was Sharon Walshe’s colt Pineview Setanta (ISP), by Sander (NWP) out of Romanno Royal Angel (BRP), damsire Stanley Grange Regal Heights (BRP). (Photo: Laurence Dunne/ jumpinaction.net)

Judges comment:

“This was a tough class. The quality with ponies was very, very high this year. This foal had a good purposeful walk, with an active and balanced trot. He had a confident presence in the ring.”

Sharon Walshe said:

“The plan for this foal is to hold him as a colt for as long as his temperament is good and maybe do some more competitions, maybe the HSI loose jumping. Hopefully he will have a bright future.”

Horse Sport Ireland 2022 Reserve Pony Eventing Foal was Patrick O’Connor’s colt Jupiter John (LHI) by Cottage Worker (LHI), out of Derryveeny Belle (CP), damsire Currachmore Cashel (CP). (Photo: Laurence Dunne/ jumpinaction.net)

Pony Show Jumping Foals

Champion Pony Show Jumping Foal for 2022 was the colt Lissarulla Master Lucky (ISP) by HSF Lucky Boy (ISH), out of Miss Marple (DR), damsire Maccardo (DR), bred by Karen Fox.

Horse Sport Ireland 2022 Champion Pony Show Jumping Foal was Karen Fox’s colt, Lissarulla Master Lucky (ISP), by HSF Lucky Boy (ISH), out of MissMarple (DR) damsire Maccardo (DR). (Photo: Laurence Dunne/ jumpinaction.net)

Judges comment:

There were some “outstanding, beautiful, athletic foals with nice confirmation and good movement. [This foal was] well turned out with the correct conformation, and light in his movements.”

Karen Fox said:

“This is the dam’s second foal, and the stallion suited her. We always knew he would be a quality foal, but we never knew he would win this. We are delighted with him.”

Horse Sport Ireland Reserve Pony Show Jumping Foal was Tommy Gibbons’ Mayfield Morning Star (ISP) by Garyduff Jar of Hearts (ISH) out of Springbrook Sparkle (ISP) damsire Sparnbrrok Blue Gem (PTBA). (Photo: Laurence Dunne/ jumpinaction.net)

Horse Eventing Foals

Horse sections followed ponies, in the afternoon with the Horse Sport Ireland 2022 Champion Horse Eventing Foal going to Derek Jennings’ colt Ballyfree Kan Darc (ISH) by Sligo Candy Boy (ISH) out of Ballyfree Kan Darc (ISH), damsire Kannan (KWPN).

Horse Sport Ireland 2022 Champion Horse Eventing Foal was Derek Jennings’ colt, Ballyfree Kann Can (ISH), by Sligo Candy Boy (ISH), out of Ballyfree Kan Darc (ISH), damsire Kannan (KWPN). (Photo: Laurence Dunne/ jumpinaction.net)

Judges’ comments:

“For an eventing foal you are looking for the blood and the movement. This foal covers the ground well. He is a smart, uphill, and balanced Colt.”

Derek Jennings’ said:

“We bred the mare ourselves. This is her second foal. From the minute he hit the ground I liked him. I liked the spirit of him, he was a nice mover and a good colour.

John Flood’s colt foal Cornerado Flo (ISH) was the Horse Sport Ireland 2022 Reserve Horse Eventing Foal. By Cornerado VDL (KWPN) out of Bouncing Spa (ISH) damsire Grange Bouncer (ID). (Photo: Laurence Dunne/ jumpinaction.net)

Traditional Horse

The Traditional Horse Foal section ran alongside the Horse Eventing section but were judged separately to them.

The HSI 2022 Champion Traditional Horse Foal went to Raymond O’Connor’s colt Oileann Swatchend (ISH), by Watermill Swatch (TB), out of Oilean Svalla (ID) damsire Moylough Bouncer (ID).

Horse Sport Ireland 2022 Champion Traditional Horse Foal, Raymond O’Connor’s colt Oileann Swatchend, by Watermill Swatch (TB) out of Oilean Svalla (ID) damsire Moylough Bouncer (ID). (Photo: Laurence Dunne/ jumpinaction.net)

Judges said:

“Quality traditional type with beautiful fluid movements”

Raymond O’Connor’s daughter, Lisa, said:

“We participated 2-3 years ago with a Pony foal but didn’t qualify so delighted to be here [in Cavan]. He’s very straight, he has a kind eye, and he has a nice presence. He’s very balanced and even, and that is what we look for in a foal.

HSI 2022 Reserve Traditional Horse Foal was PJ Farrell’s filly, Agustus Golden Star (ISH), by Golden Master (TB), out of Diamond Agustus (ISH) damsire Emperor Agustus (ISH). (Photo: Laurence Dunne/ jumpinaction.net)

Horse Show Jumping Foals

The final class of the day saw all qualified Horse Show Jumping foals enter the ring to be judged, as with the Pony Show Jumping foals, by Norman Allen and Gabriel Tunney.

The Horse Sport Ireland 2022 Champion Horse Show Jumping foal was John Clarke’s colt foal Clarkes Pose for the Camera (ISH) by Cascari (HOLST) out of Clarkes Quiet Optimistic (ISH) damsire Lux Z (HANN).

Horse Sport Ireland 2022 Champion Horse Show Jumping foal Clarkes Pose For The Camera (ISH) by Cascari (HOLST) out of Clarkes Quiet Optimistic (ISH) damsire Lux Z (HANN). (Photo: Laurence Dunne/ jumpinaction.net)

Judges’ comments:

“Lovely model of a foal; with a great step and should make a promising showjumper. Very well developed and as he cantered you could imagine a saddle on him already. He could go to the top; he is, definitely, a beautiful foal!”

John Clarke said:

“The [breeding] combination has worked for us before, so we said why not try again. The mare has the year off, she has had a foal the last two years, so we did not cover her again this year. We will not be selling him; we will be producing him. Hopefully he is a real one.”

HSI 2022 Reserve Horse Show Jumping Foal went to Alan Wheeler’s filly, Carracine (ISH), by Carrera VDL (KWPN), out of Kappo Chino (ISH) damsire Pacine (BWP). (Photo: Laurence Dunne/ jumpinaction.net)

Head of Breeding, Innovation and Development, Dr Sonja Egan said:

“I would like to congratulate the 2022 champions of our horse and pony eventing sections, show jumping section and our traditional section. It is clear to see the development of the quality of these foals year on year, which was frequently commented by the judges. I would like to commend all breeders for their good breeding decisions and to all participated in the 2022 foal championship. I look forward to a future of supporting these foals through the Horse Sport Ireland breeding initiatives and wish them every success in their future performance.”

HSI would like to thank the judges through the qualifiers, Shane Flavin and Michael Hutchinson and the judges at our final, Nicola Ennis, Nicky Roncoroni, Norman Allen and Gabriel Tunney for their expert views and knowledge at the 2022 Championship. All four judges at the final commended the high standard and tough competition in the final this year. Nicky Roncoroni said, “I’ve done it [judged] 3 years now and this was definitely the highest standard I’ve seen.” While Gabriel Tunney highly praised the well-developed foals on show, saying “It’s good to see it improving and you can see it drastically in the breeding. People are more conscious about the mare and the choice of stallion.” HSI would also like to express their gratitude to all Arena Party members, vets, host venues and the countless other individuals that help run the Foal Championships each year.

Horse Sport Ireland would like to thank the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine for their continued support of the Foal Championships each year. They highlight the importance of identifying and rewarding breeders who have bred a foal that has the potential to be competitive at the highest level in the disciplines of Show Jumping or Eventing. Such evaluation of our young horses and ponies is imperative to the continued success of our Irish bred horses and ponies.