Laurina jumps to silver medal for Leah Stack in Lanaken

Laurina (ISH) and Leah Stack after finishing second in the six-year-old final in Lanaken. Pic: Sportfot

Fresh from Ireland’s historic morning in the Five-Year-Old division, the Horse Sport Ireland Studbooks Team were represented once more on the podium in the Six-Year-Old Grand Finals at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken, Belgium after Co. Kildare’s Leah Stack piloted the mare Laurina (ISH), bred by the late great Dr. Noel Cawley, to the silver medal position.

One of two Irish riders into the jump off, Stack and the Stakkato Gold-sired mare came home in a time of 35.75 seconds to take the lead at the time and sit atop the leaderboard until the World Number 212, Katrin Eckermann pipped her to win in a time of 34.06 with the Westphalian gelding, Casajall (WESTF).

Last to go in the jump-off was Stack’s stablemate based out of the Broderick family’s Ballypatrick Stables in Co. Tipperary, silver medal winner from the Five-Year-Old Grand Final, Niamh McEvoy with BP Tiny Dancer (ISH).

The duo set off with determination but an unfortunate four faults in a time 75.82 seconds saw them take Fifth Place overall on the mare by Plot Blue (KWPN).

The mare is out of Uptown Girl (SSH) by Concorde (KWPN), the multi-Grand Prix winning former ride of Irish Senior Team rider Daniel Coyle.

The combination of Stack and Laurina (ISH) are no strangers to podium finishes having won the Five-Year-Old and Six-Year-Old Championships in the RDS Dublin Horse Show in 2022, and 2023 respectfully.

Her dam, Rincarina (ISH)[TIH] also won the Six-Year-Old class in Dublin when partnered by former Irish Olympian, Greg Broderick before embarking on an international career that saw the duo compete successfully at Grand Prix level nationally and also taking wins and places in Arezzo, Italy and Lummen, Belgium as well representing the Irish Sport Horse Studbook in Lanaken as both a Six- and Seven-Year-Old herself.

Speaking to Horse Sport Ireland after the class, Laurina’s owner Lisa Cawley said: “We’re really proud of Laurina, she’s a really nice mare and very clever. I think she gets a lot of her ability from how clever she is, and Leah did such an amazing job.

“She rode two foot perfect rounds. Just foot perfect! She rode some fantastic lines and two really beautiful rounds. They always jump beautiful round together, but I think for sure today they jumped the rounds of their lives.

Laurina (ISH) and Leah Stack jumping to a second-place finish in the six-year-old final in Lanaken. Pic: Sportfot

“I want to thank Leah, Greg [Broderick] and all the team in Ballypatrick for all the work they do and they wonderful job they do producing these horses and getting them here and perform at such a high level on the world stage.

“They’re just unbelievably talented people to do what they do; Greg, Leah, Cheryl [Broderick], all of them. The plan now is to keep jumping her and hopefully get her up to Grand Prix level to emulate her mother nationally and internationally. The long term plan is keep her to breed from in a few years.

“She’s a nice type to breed from. She’s a lovely model and type so there’s a lot of options for her for stallions to use with her and then replace Rincarina.

“She’s 19 so she’ll be coming to the end of her breeding career. Hopefully we’ll be back here with her next year in the Seven-Year-Olds. It’s just a little bit bittersweet that my Dad isn’t here to see this result. He’d be so proud of her. Both of them. He’d be so proud.”

Sonja Egan PhD, Head of Breeding Innovation and Development added: “I am absolutely delighted for Leah, Lisa and the wider Ballypatrick team on the 6-year-old World Championship silver medal here today – what a morning it has been!

“It is bittersweet that Noel is not here to join in on the celebrations, but no doubt he would be extremely proud of all. Perhaps Noel would say it’s no coincidence, Laurina’s dam, Rincarina (ISH) is one of his his self-proclaimed favourites.

“She won the RDS six-year-old final, nine Irish Grand Prix classes and internationals in Italy and Belgium.

“Laurina is certainly following in her footsteps with the coveted RDS 5- and 6-year-old championship titles (2022, 2023), the 2022 Irish Breeders Classic 5-year-old champion and now the 2023 world championship silver medallist!

“Huge congratulations are also due to Niamh McEvoy who had another super jump-off with BP Tiny Dancer, who had the time but just got unlucky to have a pole.

“Once again, on behalf of the Irish Sport Horse studbook and Horse Sport Ireland I extend my congratulations to all on yet another wonderful result today!”

The 2023 Horse Sport Ireland Young Horse Squads are kindly supported by Bluegrass Horse Feed and Janni Bars.

Participation at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken, Belgium is thanks to the support of the Department of Food, Agriculture and the Marine.

Breeding:

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

BP Tiny Dancer (ISH)
2017, Mare by Plot Blue (KWPN) out of Uptown Girl (SPH), by Concorde (KWPN).
Breeder and owned: GBBS International Ltd.
Rider: Niamh McEvoy (IRL)