THE Irish Sport Horse studbook has pulled off a record feat by yet again topping the eventing division in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) rankings, released this week.
The final results of the WBFSH calendar year show that the ISH studbook has catapulted itself from fifth place in the penultimate August rankings to the overall winners, a title held on all bar two years (2010, 2011), since these rankings first began in 1994.
Clinching this 22nd title at the 11th hour was Kim Severson’s recent Ssanyong Blenheim Palace CCI*** winner Cooley Cross Border (eighth). The Diamond Roller 10-year-old heads up an equally youthful team this year, followed by Vanir Kamira (11th), Cooley SRS (24th), Ardagh Highlight (28th), Ballaghmor Class (29th) and Kiltubrid Rhapsody (37th).
SHOW JUMPING DROP
In the show jumping studbook division, the ISH studbook dropped one place this year to 14th. The David Moran-bred Limestone Grey (76th. Try-Time) was the sole Irish-bred in the 2017 top-100 (MHS Going Global ranked 84th last year) and the Limerick-bred is followed by Luibanta BH (135th. Luidam. Breeder: Justin Burke), Codarco (162nd. Darco. Breeder: Thomas O’Brien), Cos I Can (172nd. Olympic Lux. Breeder: John Griffin), MHS Going Global (286th. Quidam Junior. Breeder: Ita Brennan) and the Hickstead Derby winner Golvers Hill (300th. Ricardo Z. Breeder: Patrick Lynch).
It was a clean sweep for the Benelux breeding countries in the show jumping studbook results with both of Belgium’s studbooks BWP (first) and sBs (third) separated by the KWPN (second). The Dutch studbook regained its dressage breeding crown and Germany continued to flag its growing influence in event horse breeding, filling the other top-three studbook results through the Oldenburg (second) and Holsteiner (third) studbooks.
Halifax Van Het Kluizebos (BWP. Heartbreaker. Breeder: Stefaan Delabie), fischerRocana FST (DSP. Ituango. Breeder: Mirko Glotz) and Weihegold (OLD. Don Schufro. Breeder: Inge Bastian) are this year’s WBFSH’s number one horses in the individual show jumping, eventing and dressage rankings.
2017 WBFSH STUDBOOK FINAL RANKINGS
EVENTING
1. Irish Sport Horse 1,248 (1)
2. Oldenburg 1,205 (11)
3. HolsteinerVerband 1,168 (3)
4. KWPN 1,147 (6)
5. HanoverianVerband 1,083 (2)
6. Selle Francais 1,073 (4)
7. Deutsches Sportpferd 1,040 (5)
8. SHB(GB) 910 (12)
9. Westfalian 783 (7)
10. AA 736 (10)
DRESSAGE
1. KWPN 13,957 (2)
2. Hanoverian Verband 12,527 (1)
3. Oldenburg 12,519 (3)
4. Danish Warmblood Society 11,545 (5)
5. Westfalian 10,596 (4)
6. DSP (Deutsches Sportpferd) 10,186 (9)
7. SWB 9,959 (8)
8. BWP 9,831 (10)
9. Trakehner 9,816 (6)
10. CH (Swiss Warmblood) 8,493 (17)
SHOW JUMPING
1. BWP 9,113 (3)
2. KWPN 7,965 (4)
3. sBs 6,772 (6)
4. Westfalian 6,744 (10)
5. Zangersheide 6,666 (2)
6. Holsteiner Verband 6,503 (1)
7. Hanoverian Verband 6,434 (5)
8. Oldenburg 6,168 (9)
9. Selle Francais 6,100 (7)
10. SWB 5,844 (11)
14 Irish Sport Horse 3,953 (13)
BY NUMBERS
50/50 - Half of the victorious ISH event horse team were bred in the border counties while 50% of the ISH show jumping horses - Luibanta H, Codarco and Golvers Hill - were bred in Co Galway.
22 - times that the Irish Sport Horse studbook has topped the WBFSH eventing rankings.
10 - year-olds. Cooley Cross Border, Cooley SRS and Ballaghmor Class were all foaled in 2007.
Four - studbooks represented in all three categories this year: Hanoverian, KWPN, Oldenburg and Westfalian.
Three - years in a row that the best Irish-bred eventer (Cooley Cross Border) is by a non-fully approved stallion as his sire Diamond Roller joins the ranks of Ard Ohio (Mighty Nice, 2016) and Balda Beau (Cambalda).
Two - of the successful Irish Sport Horse team - Cooley SRS and Ballaghmor Class - are part of Oliver Townend’s string.
One - Irish Sport Horse - Ardagh Highlight - ridden by an Irish rider - Sam Watson.
What They Said
“We are delighted that the Irish Sport Horse Studbook has won the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) leading Studbook award again in 2017. I would particularly like to congratulate the breeders of these six horses, Johnny Duffy (Louth), Kathryn Jackson (Monaghan), John Fitzhenry (Wexford), Noel Hickey (Limerick), and Marian Tighe (Leitrim) on their achievement in breeding such successful event horses.”
Alison Corbally, HSI Director of Breeding and Programmes
“This is a great tribute to Irish breeders and their commitment to breeding the performance horse. They have done it year in year out often for limited reward. Despite our success to date, we will have to continue to raise our game, as competition from other Studbooks is increasing every year.”
Jim Beecher, HSI Interim Chairman
FACTFILE
* The Hannoverian Verband (2010) and Selle Français (2011) studbooks are the only studbooks to have deposed the ISH in the eventing category.
2004 was the best year for the ISH studbook (seventh) in the show jumping rankings.
Both the top showjumping horse Halifax Van Het Kluizebos and the best Irish-bred Limestone Grey are campaigned by Italian rider Lorenzo de Luca.
Bertram Allen’s Molly Malone V (27th. Kannan. Breeder: Keith Doyle) is the best of the Anglo European Studbook’s show jumping performers, followed by Suma’s Zorro (112th. Ard VDL Douglas. Breeder: Suma Stud).
Jan Greve bred the KWPN-registered gelding Waterford (125th in the show jumping rankings) by Coolcorran Cool Diamond.
Ardagh Highlight is sole traditional-bred amongst this year’s top six Irish Sport Horses.
Mirko Glotz will receive his second Rolex watch at the Geneva International in December as fischerRocana FST was also the WBFSH’s top event horse in 2014.
Although there was a second Irish-bred in the top-15, 13th-placed Arctic Soul’s (Luso. Breeder: Noel Whitty) points do not unfortunately count towards the ISH tally, as thoroughbreds are ineligible for studbook rankings.
* Check out www.wbfsh.org for the 2017 rankings.
IRISH SPORT HORSE CHAMPIONS
Cooley Cross Border (10yo g by Diamond Roller (ISH) - Who’s Diaz (ISH), by Osilvis (KWPN). Breeder: Johnny Duffy. Rider: Kim Severson (USA).
Vanir Kamira (12yo m by Camiro De Haar Z (ZANG) - Fair Caledonian (WNTR), by Dixi (TB). Breeder: Kathryn Jackson. Rider: Piggy French (GB).
Cooley SRS (10yo g by Ramiro B (BWP) - Ballynattin Pride (ISH), by Kiltealy Spring (ISH). Breeder: John Fitzhenry. Rider: Oliver Townend (GB).
Ardagh Highlight (13yo g by Puissance (ISH) - Gentle Servant (ISH), by Kings Servant (ISH). Breeder: Teresa Walsh. Rider: Sam Watson (IRL).
Ballaghmor Class (10 yo g by Courage II (HOLST) - Kilderry Place (ISH). Breeder: Noel Hickey. Rider: Oliver Townend (GB).
Kiltubrid Rhapsody (10yo g by Cascaletto St Ghyvan Z (ZANG) - Kiltubrid Heather (ISH), by Lombardo (KWPN). Breeder: Marian Tighe. Rider: Sir Mark Todd (NZ).
* Watch out for profiles of the ISH eventing champions and their breeders in future weeks