The Grand Final for the 2026 Foal Championship takes place in Emerald Equestrian Centre, Co Kildare on Thursday 15th October, from 12pm. All spectators, breeders and connections of competitors are welcome, and encouraged, to attend. 16 foals, who qualified at the various regional qualifiers, will compete to be crowned Champion in either the horse and pony sections for either showjumping or eventing. Our preview of entries is available below, and we look forward to seeing you at the event.
The 2026 Foal Championship is funded under National Breeding Services with thanks to the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, and delivered by Horse Sport Ireland.
Pony Eventing
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Fintan Cosgrove | Knockmoy Pleasure (ISP) | Filly | Another Pleasure (KWPN) | Moonlight Magic (CP) | Moonlight Silver Shadow (CP) |
Qualified in Glenamaddy.
Dam Moonlight Magic has competed up to 1.10m. She was the All-Ireland 3-year-old loose jumping winner in Clifden.
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Jackie Hockley | Carnakilly Sydney (CP) | Filly | Carnakilly Mac Guire (CP) | Carnakilly Empress (CP) | Glenree De l’Aulne (CP) |
Qualified in Kernans
Her dam, Carnakilly Empress, won the All-Ireland Four Year Old Mare Loose Jumping Final at the Clifden Connemara Pony Show 2023, and is closely related to Vox Pop de l’Aulne, silver medallist at the 2018 Pony European Championships.
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Inga D’Arcy | ID Deliver (CP) | Colt | Atour Coeur Melody (CP) | I’d Say I’m Perfect (CP) | Kingstown Cavalier (CP) |
Qualified in Goresbridge
Dam produced I’d Dare to Dream who qualified for the Foal Championship final in 2024.
Atout Coeur Melody is a French national show champion who jumped up to 120cm. He is a half-brother to I Love You Melody.
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Jane Ryan | Killelton Milo (CP) | Colt | Liskillen Archie (CP) | Cityview Linsfort Last Lady (CP) | Linsfirt Lad (CP) |
Qualified in Maryville
Sire Liskillen Archie was placed at the Clifden 4 – 6 Year old stallion class this year.
Pony Showjumping
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Stephen McDonald | Jasmines Dancing Diva (ISP) | Filly | Weststar Sunny (CP) | Dancing Jasmine (ISH) | Moores Clover (ISH)[TIH] |
Qualified in Glenamaddy.
Dancing Jasmine has bred 2 fillies currently competing FEI, As well as a 7-year-old competing nationally. Her younger pony foals have all qualified for the HSI showjumping foal final in previous years.
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Thomas Webb | Cash Only Please (ISH) | Colt | Quality Time (ISH) | Future Lady (ISH)[TIH] | Song of Freedom (CP) |
Qualified in Kernans
Future Lady is Grade A showjumping pony with over 400 SJI points. She competed and placed to pony premier level
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Ann Grimes | Lambay It’s My Pleasure (ISP) | Colt | Double Pleasure (BES) | Lambay Rumor Has It (IPS) | Fofsway Noble Lord (RP) |
Qualified in Goresbridge
Dam Lambay Rumor Has it has produced 2 previous foals: Lambay I’m Amazing (138) is currently competing at 80cm as a 4YO.
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Becca Dunlea | Kestrels Oran Gwenndaline (CP) | Filly | Gwennic de Goariva (CP) | Royal Oak Casey (CP) | 3DR Gabha Óir (CP) |
Qualified in Maryville
Both Kestrels Orans Gwenndaline and her Dam Royal Oak Casey have numerous wins in the show ring in 2026.
Horse Eventing
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Liz Murphy | Cappulcorragh Dance in Time (WSI) | Colt | Gaileo Dance (TB) | Cappulcorragh Quality Time (ISH) | OBOS Quality (OLD) |
Qualified in Glenamaddy
Cappulcorragh Quality Time is a full sister to Cappulcorragh Quality Control that was a finalist at the world eventing championships in Le Lion d’Angers in 2023 and a winner of a 3 star in Arezzo in 2024.
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Gordon Drury | Dourough Ferro Star (ISH) | Filly | Creevagh Ferro (KWPN) | Dourough Keepsake (ISH) | Colandro (HOLST) |
Qualified in Kernans
Dams half-brother, Baronscourt Dancing Boy, has competed to 1.25m. Dams half-sister, Aldow, is the dam of Whos Bits N Pieces, competed CSIP and has 506 SJI points.
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Des and Margaret Jeffares | Ballykelly Crusader (ISH) | Colt | Grand Cru VD Vijf Eiken (BWP) | Ballykelly Donail Belle (ISH) | Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan (BWP) |
Qualified in Goresbridge
Dam is a sister to Woodstock Bennett, who evented to CCI4*.
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Joanna van Riel | Glengarra Jadore (ISH) | Filly | Jorado (KWPN) | Glengarra Royal Rouet (ISH) | Balou du Rouet (OLD) |
Qualified in Maryville
The dam line includes Lissangle Caveletto B, a 3* winner at Ballindenisk. He won 3 European Championship medals, individual and team in Young Riders and Juniors European Championships.
Horse Showjumping
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Andrea Etter | Mr Sapphire B (ISH) | Colt | Color Van’t Roosakker Z (ZANG) | Lucy In The Sky B (ISH) | O-Piloth (KWPN) |
Qualified in Glenamaddy
Lucy in the Sky B won the 3y old loose jumping class at Cavan
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Lisa Rosbotham | Miss My Way (ISH) | Filly | My Way (OLD) | Miss Valent (ISH) | Valent (KWPN) |
Qualified in Kernans
Miss Valent has multiple double clears at 1.35m and was selected for the Irish Sport Horse Studbook team for the World Breeding Championships in Lanaken as a 6 year old.
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| David Furlong | Thistletown Number Five (ISH) | Colt | Call Me Number One (WESTF) | Bonnie (AES) | Foxglen Cruise Control (AES) |
Qualified in Goresbridge
Bonnie is a Grade A mare who jumped to Grand Prix level and has 235 SJI Points.
| Breeder/Owner | Foal Name | Sex | Sire | Dam | Damsire |
| Emma O’Regan | Seaview Obsession (ISH) | Colt | Berlin (HOLST) | Tinkabell 12 (KWPN) | Casco (HOLST) |
Qualified in Maryville
Tinkabell 12 jumped with Rodrigo Pessoa. During CSI5* in Lyon, they finished second in the 1.50m class and eighth in the 1.60m Grand Prix.