NOW in its 11th year, the Irish Breeders’ Classic is a firm favourite in the Irish show jumping calendar, hosting the world’s richest young horse class with a total prize fund in excess of €100,000.

The prestigious event will take place in Barnadown Showjumping, Gorey, Co Wexford next week, from September 1st to 4th. The full competition schedule includes the final leg of the 1.40m Gain/Alltech National Grand Prix on Saturday and the North Star 1.45m Grand Prix on Friday. Meanwhile, the 1.55m/1.60m Plusvital Grand Prix offers a €15,000 prize fund on Sunday before the big final.

The Irish Breeders’ Classic Finals for the five/six-year-olds and the seven/eight-year-olds will also take place on Sunday. The final and the five/six-year-old non-Irish will take place on Saturday followed by IBC Select Foal Sale. Full details are available on www.irishbreedersclassic.com.

The 2022 event was launched recently in Barnadown with last year’s Irish Breeders’ Classic winning rider Kevin Gallagher in attendance. The Irish Breeders’ Classic was set up in 2012 and was the brain child of Ronan Rothwell. His dream was to showcase Irish-bred horses and in that way attract new investors to the sport. Now, Sharon Fitzpatrick and Liz Brennan take the reins on the great showcase.

Each year we see the Irish Breeders’ Classic grow and 2022 will be no exception with an increase of prize money in all the classes. It is a wonderful endorsement that Horse Sport Ireland are supporting the event along with many more national and international sponsors. With record competition entries in 2021, we look forward to an even bigger attendance in 2022.

Graduates

Cian O’Connor’s Kilkenny and Bertram Allen’s Pacino Amiro are two graduates of the Irish Breeders’ Classic Final and were both selected to compete at Tokyo Olympic Games last summer. Over the past 10 years, the competition has gained international recognition with other past graduates going on to perform at the highest level of the sport including MHS Going Global, Limestone Grey, Arrabeg Clover (silver medallist WBSC), Killossery Kaiden (gold medallist WBSC), and Columbcille Gipsy (gold medallist WBSC), BBS McGregor and Dawson’s Gold to name but a few.

Horse Sport Ireland chairman Joe Reynolds said: “Horse Sport Ireland is delighted to once again support the Irish Breeders’ Classic in 2022. Breeders are the backbone of the Irish equestrian industry and it is vital that they are recognised as such. The Irish Breeders’ Classic presents an excellent platform to promote Ireland’s leading young show jumping horses. This year the Irish Breeders’ Classic will see top-class competition from Ireland’s leading young horses. We wish all the competitors, owners and breeders the very best of luck and we look forward to an exciting weekend of competition.”

Kevin Gallagher won for the past two years and is back to defend his title once again. He said: “I was delighted to win last year. It was a fantastic show for us in Ballypatrick Stables and we look forward to this year’s show.”

Foal sale

As the foal sales’ season gets under way in earnest, the first of the pre-selected renewals is due take place at Barnadown next Saturday. Running under the banner of the Goresbridge Supreme Sale of Show Jumping Foals, and staged in conjunction with the Irish Breeders’ Classic, this year’s sale offers a catalogue of 12 foals and two embryos.

Truly select, the entrants in this year’s catalogue initially attracted around 70 enquiries, before 35 (based on pedigree) foals were invited to be assessed by Alain Storme and Brendan Doyle. These were then whittled down further to the dozen top-class foals.

Trade was good 12 months ago, especially through the online platform, resulting in an 80% clearance and a top price of €19,000. Those who reaped the rewards hailed from some of Ireland and Europe’s most recognised blacktype families, and one hoping to emulate or better last year’s sale-topping price will be CSF Clover Rock, a close relative of the recent Aga Khan-winning squad member CSF James Kann Cruz. This foal, like many in the catalogue, carries a recognised pedigree, while others hail from younger but progressive families.

The catalogue itself displays the full pedigrees and photographs of each lot, as well as a useful resume of every stallion featured. Video footage of each foal can be viewed online and of course the online bidding platform will be in place. See Sally Parkyn’s Goresbridge Supreme Sale of Show Jumping Foals preview on page 103.

Past IBC winners

2021: CBS Khantastic (Kevin Gallagher)

2020: BP Limitless (Kevin Gallagher)

2019: Dawson’s Gold (Ger O’Neill)

2018: BBS McGregor (Jack Ryan)

2017: Columbcille Gipsy (Ger O’Neill)

2016: Ballypatrick Flamenco (Darragh Ryan)

2015: Alberta Mist (Greg Broderick)

2014: Talks Cheap (Alexander Butler)

2013: Arraghbeg Clover (Greg Broderick)

2012: Bens Lady Lux (Harry Marshall)