Winners crowned at Horse Sport Ireland Foal Championship Final

The final of the Horse Sport Ireland Foal Championship took place in Cavan Equestrian Centre on Tuesday October 22nd. The Championship series aims to identify, evaluate and reward breeders who have bred a foal that has the potential to be competitive at the highest International level in the disciplines of Show Jumping or Eventing.

The final followed six competitive qualifiers held nationwide at Coilog Equestrian Centre, Wexford Equestrian, Bridestown Towers Equestrian Centre, Creagh Equestrian Centre, Tubberbride Stables and The Roscommon Agricultural Show. A fund of over €24,000 was available across the Championship with €8,000 allocated for the final. Four National Champions were crowned –  Champion Show Jumping horse foal and Champion Show Jumping pony foal, Champion Eventing horse foal and Champion Eventing pony foal. There was also a special prize for the overall best traditionally-bred foal. Foals were judged on their functional conformation, walk, trot, canter, overall athleticism and balance as well as pedigree.

National Eventing Pony Champion Foal of the year was awarded to Silken Link (ISP) bred by Helen Troughton

The Eventing pony foals were the first to take to the ring where the National Eventing Pony Champion Foal of the year was awarded to Silken Link (ISP) bred by Helen Troughton after impressing the Eventing section judges Clare Lambert and Fraser Duffy. Helen had this to say of her colt:
“I’m very pleased with him, Silken Link is by Masurenfuerst who is the sire of the Champion sports pony of the year in England. His dam, Honeyhill Lady, has really done her job. She has really good bone and is well put together – she does what she’s supposed to do- breeds and jumps!”

Clare Lambert and Fraser Duffy had this to say of the Eventing Pony Foals:
“Fraser and I were very impressed with how uphill the foal was built and his ease of movement. We judged based on what we saw today – the standard was extremely high the winning foal for us had the blood and the reserve as well there was something about them that had an ‘Event’ stamp. In the section in general there were so many nice foals that we were almost disappointed they didn’t all win!”

The Champion Showjumping pony foal is Seafield Dynamite B (ISP) Filly, by Celtic Hero B Z (ZANG) out of Rushaun Clover (ISH) by Moores Clover (ISH) bred and owned by Jerry Lenihan
Picture L – R: Alison Corbally, Ger O’Neill, Barry O’Connor, Andrea Etter, Kate Lenihan and Jerry Lenihan

The National Show Jumping Pony Champion Foal of the year was awarded to the filly Seafield Dynamite B (ISP) bred by Jerry Lenihan. Jerry had this to say of his Champion filly:
“Out of a Moores Clover mare – you couldn’t go wrong and then the Celtic Hero cross, we were hoping for big things! She’s a really sweet foal. This is the mare’s fifth foal, and they all jump. It’s great to win! The foal is very like her full sister who was in the 3-year-old loose jumping final in Millstreet and she’s a fantastic pony. Seafield Dynamite B has a great temperament too – like the father; who is going very well over in the US, he has just won two 1m40 classes.”

The Champion Eventing foal was Parkmore Tyson (ISH), Colt by Tyson (KWPN) out of Parkmore Evita (ISH) by Ghareeb (TB) bred and owned by Patrick Wafer. Picture L – R: Maurice Wafer, Patrick Meere, Alison Corbally, Seamus Wafer, Clare Lambert and Fraser Duffy

The National Eventing Horse Champion Foal of the year was awarded to Parkmore Tyson (ISH) bred by Patrick Wafer. Having won the breeders Championship in the 2019 Dublin Horse show, Wafer was delighted to continue his success:
“It has been a greater year, absolutely fantastic, delighted to come here and win the HSI Foal Eventing champion, it’s fantastic.  It’s lovely when you breed one like it – he has lovely movement, attitude and temperament, you can’t ask for any more than that. We were tempted to put him in the jumping section but we just thought he’s a May foal and he was a bit young when the qualifiers were on so because of his step and movement we went for the Eventing. But yes the judges in Coilóg said he’d be suitable for jumping too. He’s actually sold and his new owner is here today so I’m delighted for James too.”

The Champion Show Jumping foal is Boleybawn Alaska (ISH) Filly by Malito de Reve (SF) out of Arina (KWPN) by Crown Z (ZANG) bred and owned by Ronan Rothwell Picture L – R: Ger O’Neill, Barry O’Connor, Alison Corbally and Ronan Rothwell

The National Show jumping Horse Champion Foal of the year was awarded to the filly Boleybawn Alaska (ISH) bred by Ronan Rothwell after impressing the Show Jumping section judges Ger O’Neill and Barry O’Connor. Ronan has Irish inclement weather to blame – or thank- for his Champion filly:
“We are lucky to have her, she’s an ET (embryo transfer) foal. The dam [Arina] was due to be flushed during the big snow last year but we couldn’t make it to the clinic so she was flushed a day late and far too big to transfer so we transferred it anyway and luckily we had a successful pregnancy and so that’s why we called her Alaska! I studied the stallions that were maybe not the most prolific sport horses and the more so their progeny so I suppose I concluded that he [Malito de Reve] probably didn’t get the first choice mares but his stock were doing better than the stallions who probably did get their first choice mares so I wanted to give him a go. He’s got great breeding, from the same dam as Pacino and he’s by Cumano – all those things tick the box, I wouldn’t be afraid to use him again on the mare.”

The Champion Traditional foal was Glenveagh Centaway (TIH), Filly by Elusive Emir (TB) out of Supreme Focus (IDC1) by Collie Mor Hill (IDC1) bred and owned by Gerard Sweeney shown by Shaun Doherty. Picture L – R: Fraser Duffy, Clare Lambert, Alison Corbally and Shaun Doherty

The award for the best traditional foal was presented to Gerard Sweeney for his filly Glenveagh Centaway (ISH)(TIH) by Elusive Emir (TB).

Ger O’Neill and Barry O’Connor judged the Show Jumping section and were impressed by both horse and pony Show Jumping foals and Ger O’Neill commented:
“I think the standard was very, very high today – some lovely pedigrees and it was very tight in the end. The Malito filly is a fantastic foal and the I’m Special De Muze is also lovely with a great pedigree. It wasn’t easy to pick a winner today, so huge congratulations to all the breeders who came cross-country today to show their beautifully presented foals. Two good fillies won so I would say that those fillies will probably go into the sport end. The champion pony foal was a beautiful blood pony, when we looked at the pony European championships this year we won the double gold and it’s very obvious to see that the more blood pony the quicker pony. Conformation-wise he was good very light on his feet. I think if you look at the likes of Cavalidam who won the gold medal you can see, the good horse breeding, if you get that into ponies and they’re under the height and they have the natural canter and balance we need – the big stride and the rideability is coming into it a lot more. That’s what we really liked here today and think it could be good coming into the future”

The HSI Foal Championship was very well supported this year, by horse and pony breeders and the judges at the qualifiers and final were very pleased with the quality presented. We would like to develop this concept further next year and create a festival of breeding at the autumn final, comprising foals, mares and perhaps also stallions, there is a lot of support for such an event said Director of Breeding and Programmes Alison Corbally. I would like to congratulate all the breeders of the foals that qualified for this National Foal Championship and wish them the best of luck with their future careers.

Eventing Horse Section
Champion: Parkmore Tyson (ISH) by Tyson (KPWN)out of Parkmore Evita (ISH) by Ghareeb (TB) bred by Patrick Wafer.
Reserve: Our Rocky (ISH) by Deep River Rock out of Lalinde (TB) by Tiger Hill (TB) bred by Finnian McLoughlin.

Show Jumping Horse Section
Champion: Boleybawn Alaska (ISH) by Malito de Reve (SF) out of Arina (KWPN) by Crown Z (ZANG) bed by Ronan Rothwell
Reserve: Delight De Muze (ISH) by I’m Special de Muze (BWP) out of Deight M-G-C De Leuze (SBS) by Armitage (OLD) bred by GBBS INT Ltd

Best Traditional Foal
Champion: Glenveagh Centaway (ISH)(TIH) by Elusive Emir (TB) out of Supreme Focus (IDC1) out of Coille Mor Hill (IDC1) bred by Gerard Sweeney
Reserve: TC Silver Point (ISH)(TIH) by Pointilliste (TB) out of TC Silver Bounce (ISH) by Grange Bouncer (IDC1) bred by Tom Clancy.

Eventing Pony Section
Champion: Silken Link (ISP) by Masurenfuerst (TRAK) out of Honeyhill Lady (CP) by Robe Earl (CP) bred by Helen Troughton
Reserve: Barnaboy Destiny (ISP) by Dr. Erewhom (TB) out of Barnaboy Beyonce (IP), bred by Conor Connolly

Show Jumping Pony Section
Champion: Seafield Dynamite B (ISP) by Celtic Hero B Z (ZANG) out of Rushaun Clover (ISH) by Moores Clover (ISH) bred by Jerry Lenihan
Reserve: Jasmines Summer (ISP) by Weststar Sunny (CP) out of Dancing Jasmine (ISH) by Moores Clover (ISH) bred by Stephen McDonald

Videos will follow for the Horse Sport Ireland Foal Championship.