World class Irish Sport Horse mare Castlefield Eclipse passes away

One of the most successful Irish Sport Horses of the last decade, Castlefield Eclipse has sadly passed away at the age of 17.

Castlefield Eclipse (ISH) (Photo: Sonya Hennessy)

Bred by Pat Nihill from Co. Clare, Castlefield Eclipse (ISH) was by O.B.O.S. Quality 004 (OLD) out of Furisto Clover Hill (ISH), by Furisto (HANN).

Castlefield Eclipse was sold by Ger O’Neill at Castlefield Sport Horses in Kilkenny as a five-year-old to Paul O’Shea. The mare competed for a period on the Irish National circuit with O’Shea and later with Padriag McCarthy, before beginning her international career with Switzerland’s Paul Estermann.

Castlefield Eclipse went on to have a phenomenal career at the top level of the sport, including victory in the five-star Longines Grand Prix at St Gallen and was a key member of the Swiss team at Nations Cup level. Castlefield Eclipse also represented Switzerland at the London 2012 Olympics, at the European Championships in 2013 and 2015 (winning team bronze at Aachen in Germany), and the World Equestrian Games in 2014.

Castlefield Eclipse retired from international competition in 2018 and began her breeding career in Belgium and has two surrogate mares expecting foals by the stallion Emerald V’ant Ruytershof.
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