Seven Irish Studbook team horses finish in top 20 at Mondial du Lion

On the final day of competition of the World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses at Mondial Du Lion, France we saw all but one Irish Studbook team horse present for trot up. Of these, two six-year-old, and twelve seven-year-old horses contested the final showjumping phase.

After a tough day of cross country, Kief Rhapsody of Belline (ISH) ridden by Noel Dunne sat in 20^th place followed closely by Cathal Daniels and Independent Article (ISH) in 21^st place ahead of the final showjumping phase. Dunne secured a top 20 finish following a faultless showjumping round to finish in 19^th place while Daniels added 4.8 penalties to his score to finish an eventual 23^rd.

The seven-year-old section saw more success for the Irish Studbook team horses with six combinations finishing inside the top 20.  The best of the Irish was Danielle McCormack riding the Padraig McCarthy bred MGH Hildare Harlequin (ISH) who were one of only three combinations in the competition to finish on their dressage score in 7^th place. Also in the top 10 was the Brigid McGing bred traditional gelding Inquisitor (ISH)[TIH] ridden by Ian Cassells.

FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championship for Young Horses (7YO) at Le Lion Danielle McCormack and MGH Hildare Harlequin (ISH)
Image: Irish Eventing Times

The highest placed Irish Sport Horse in the six-year-old section was Boleybawn Oliva (ISH) who was recently purchased by her rider, USA’s Hallie Coon. This combination added just 3.2 cross country time penalties to their dressage score to finish a brilliant 5^th. The bay mare was bred by Ronan Rothwell at Boleybawn Horses, purchased and produced thereafter by Leila Barker through the national young horse production classes. Highlights under Leila include a very successful campaign in the 2022 Wexford Equestrian Stepping Stones league with her 4-year-old year culminating in a 4^th place finish at the RDS young event horse 4-year-old class.

The top placed Irish Sport horse in the seven-year-old section was the Eugene Killalea bred Calida Spice (ISH), ridden by Lizzie Baugh (GBR) finishing in 5^th place, who has been produced by the British rider from 5 years old.

Dag Albert team Chef d’equipe said this following the championships:

The course build in the show jumping was fair for both sections, but they both were built tight on time so that’s where the course plan needed to be executed well. This meant that they were riding under that little bit more pressure, where these young horses haven’t been ridden under that level of time pressure before really. Danielle and Ian (Greenogue Gigi) finished on their dressage scores, so that was great. They all jumped well, so I am happy with that. They are good and careful jumpers.

This experience will have done all the team horses good. The ones that were campaigned here last year as 6 year olds will have had a slight advantage because they knew what to expect. Overall, everyone did well out there and I’m happy with the result.

Sonja Egan, PhD, Head of Breeding:

Congratulations to the Irish Studbooks team on their performance in Mondial du Lion. There were testing conditions throughout the week which really added to the competitive ask of these young horses. It is brilliant to have 7 team horses in the top 20 across the 6 and 7 year old sections in such competitive fields. Well done to Danielle McCormack and breeder/owner Padraig McCarthy behind MGH Hildare Harlequin (ISH) who culminated their week in an excellent show jumping round finishing on their dressage score in 7^th place. It is also fantastic to see the only competing Traditional Irish Horse, Brigid McGing’s Inquisitor (ISH)[TIH], ridden by Ian Cassells finish in 10^th overall.  

I also wish to recognise the breeder of Calida Spice, Eugene Killalea in their 5^th place finish in the 7-year-old section. Well, done also to Ronan Rothwell breeder of Boleybawn Oliva, and to Leila Barker who produced the bay mare her through various national events, for the mare’s success under her new owner USA’s Hallie Coon.

Irish Studbooks team: top 25 (6-year-olds)

Irish Studbooks team: top 25 (7-year-olds)

BREEDING

Boleybawn Oliva (ISH). Mare by Jorado (KWPN) out of C-Jumps (SCSL) by Cicero Z Van Paemel (BWP). Bred by Ronan Rothwell, Boleybawn Horses, Co. Wicklow and ridden by Hallie Con (USA).

Calida Spice (ISH). Mare by Tyson (KWPN) out of Red Diamond Spice (ID) by Kind Henry (ID).
Bred by Eugene Killalea, Co. Mayo and ridden by Lizzie Baugh (GBR).

The Irish studbooks team participation in Le Lion D’Angers is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine under National Breeding Services.

The Team Ireland Equestrian Young Horse Squads for Jumping and Eventing are supported by Redmond Property Maintenance.