HORSE Sport Ireland (HSI) has announced the team of horses which will represent the Irish WBFSH Studbooks at the FEI WBFSH World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses, which will be held in Le Lion D’Angers, France, from October 15th to 18th. Among them is a returning medallist from last year’s event, as well as the two top-rated six-year-olds in the world.

Ian Cassells’ ride BT Just Special (I’m Special De Muze x Robin Des Pres), owned and bred by Bridget Speirs, leads the Irish charge in the six-year-old section as the top-rated horse in this age group worldwide, while Sarah Ennis’s ride Lady Sky M (Cinsey x Je T’Aime Flamenco) is rated second only to him. The Richie O’Hara-bred Belline Kilbunny Virtue (Quality Time x Canturano) will complete the Irish trio, ridden by Elizabeth Power for Richard and Tanja Ames.

Irish studbooks will be represented by five entrants in the seven-year-old section, led by another of Ian Cassells’ rides, last year’s six-year-old silver medallist Rutland Flamenco (Casallco x Je T’Aime Flamenco). HHE Fernhill McCoy (Tyson x Je T’Aime Flamenco) will also return to Le Lion, ridden once more by Harry Horgan, while Robbie Kearns will ride Thomas Duggan’s Millstreet Kanby (Kannan x Rapid Raimondo). Michael McNally will bring forward Krato M2S (Ulysses M2S x Rubicell), and British-based Danielle McCormack will bring Hildaire Trust Me (El Barone 111 Z x Apple Juice).

“Le Lion has proved itself over and over again as an important stepping stone in the development of our future championship horses,” said chef d’equipe of the eventing young horse squad Debbie Byrne. “We are blessed as a nation to have breeders who take great pride in their breeding programmes and their selection of bloodlines, followed by very committed owners, all of which we are for grateful for. Without their commitment, the Irish studbooks wouldn’t be as well-represented as they currently are.”