Ruth Loney
A delighted Michael Dempsey of HSI, standing in the arena as Ger O’Neill received the World Championship six-year-old gold medal, said: “We in Ireland are not too far away from the glory days of Irish show jumping.”
Dempsey, who prefers to talk backstage, added: “We are certainly heading in the right direction.
“Breeders are making considered decisions on the breeding strategy and selecting the best stallions for their mares, which is part of the plan to return us to the glory days. And today is one of them.”
John McKibben, who sold a Kannan foal at the recent Goresbridge Elite Sale for €15,000 to Kieran Kennedy, attended Lanaken. McKibben, who runs a breeding programme at Kilkeel in Co Down was accompanied by Newcastle breeders Hugh and Rose Ward.
“Ireland is geared now to producing elite foals from the best sires in Europe and we have talented riders to win championships like Lanaken. Breeders and riders are working together and with good owners they can go all the way. Lanaken proved this plan is working thanks to great riders like Michael Pender and Ger O’Neill.”
Hugh Ward, whose children competed in ponies before he and Rose spent 25 years in the USA, has been breeding to Diamant De Semilly. “It has been a huge success for Ireland. To win three medals and two of them from a teenager was just brilliant.”
Edith de Reys, PR for Zangersheide added: “It is wonderful for a teenager like Michael Pender, who is still at college to take home two medals. I expect he won’t be at college for much longer, especially if he going on the Moroccan tour with Team Z7.”
Molly Hughes Bravo, whose mother Marion collected both breeding awards for the five-year-old silver and bronze medallists, never missed a round over all the qualifiers and finals.
“Mikey is super, we are so pleased to have done well. Michael’s mum Ann Marie travelled with the horses and helped look after them on the journey.”
Meanwhile, Brendan Doyle from the Marion Hughes stable, a well-known face on the circuit, was kept busy. “It has been a wonderful show, Michael Pender has serious talent and he brought both horses on to succeed here. I have seen the horses develop with him and it is a great day for all of us.”
Nadia Rea of the HSI breeding team at Lanaken ensured the photographs for Twitter and Facebook kept coming after each event. Rushing between arenas, ensuring riders, owners and breeders were kept informed, she also assisted Alison Corbally with the HSI video camera which rolled interviews for Facebook.
Between Facebook and Twitter we were able to keep our followers up to date. It was hard work, rushing from arena to arena, but it has been highly worthwhile,” she explained.
The HSI stand was one of the busiest in Lanaken and each horse’s breeding and details were illustrated under each action picture. HSI Stallion books were well received and also other literature promoting the Irish Studbook. As one KWPN member remarked: “It is finals day and Ireland are specialists here in taking home medals.”
The heritage Irish pedigree on the Team Ireland five-year-old squad had some really fine show jumping genetics going back to Pennwood Forge Mill on the dam side.
Gabriel Slattery’s Castlelawn Captain Junior, by the Clover Hill-sired Captain Clover who stood with Slattery, was bred by Elizabeth Gallagher out of her Diamond Lad mare Diroe. Diroe’s dam was Crossroe, by the thoroughbred Hail Titan, who goes back to Power Station, sire of Pennwood Forge Mill.
Hail Titan was also the sire of David Broome’s Lannegan and responsible for many Irish jumping horses including the prolific performance sire Hail Station, who also stood with Phillip Heenan.
Gabriel Slattery, a multi-talented Grand Prix rider, had Shane Dalton on board for Lanaken and was at his side with advice and support. The first dam of Castlelawn Captain Junior has produced many jumpers from 1.35m to 1.50m. The third dam, Tulaighban, was the dam of Larry Hagman, by Rathlin Star, who competed with Billy Twomey in 1.40m.
Castlelawn was runner-up in the Saturday five-year-old consolation class, which was no mean feat. Slattery, who has preserved the Irish bloodlines of Clover Hill and bought back great young stock by Captain Clover, should be commended for retaining this bay stallion.
Michael Pender Snr was ecstatic with his grandson Michael taking home two medals in five-year-olds championships for Marion Hughes and Team Z7 owned by Sheikh Maita Al Maktoum.
He and his wife and family arrived from Maastricht to support young Michael on Saturday where he won the six-year-old consolation class with Michael senior’s Curra Clover Flight, by Barnaby Flight.
Also accompanying the family was Ciara Corcoran, from Castledermott, who has been training Pender’s horses for years.
“I would like to pay tribute to Ciara for being the backbone of the Pender yard with Michael in ponies. I bought the six-year-old Curra Clover Flight from John Carney in Kiltealy (joint owner of Killossery Kaiden) and Ciara worked her at home when Michael was at school. Winning the consolation was great.
“John also owned the winner of the six-year-olds with Ger O’Neill and he is a great supporter of Irish showjumping.”
The talking stallion of the six-year-olds, Dominator 2000 Z, by Diamant De Semilly out of a Cassini I mare, finished 23rd in the finals for Christian Ahlmann after knocking two fences in round one. By the time Dominator had faded into oblivion, it was Ger O’Neill on board the Lux Z x Cruising stallion Killossery Kaiden who was the talking one.
His dam Killossery Kruisette competed internationally with David O’Brien and produced three other top class jumpers by Out Of Touch, SIEC Livello and Luidam. The grandam, Jeannie, also bred top jumpers by Clover Hill and Glenagyle Rebel. Clifton Lass, his third dam, was by the great Chou Chin Chow, who stood at Boardmills Stud with William Flood.
Laura Glynn received €5,000 as breeder of the stallion, who was bought as a three-year-old in Sligo by John Carney and Hugh Martin.
Greg Broderick returned from Spruce Meadows $90,000 richer following his sixth placing in the Masters and galloped into the Lanaken prize money with a 12th placing in the six-year-old world final on Santa Catalina. The grey mare, by Capitalist and out of a mare by J.J. Bowe’s Kiltealy thoroughbred Ghareeb, tipped a fence in round one but collected €375.
Darragh Ryan, on board the stunning Lackamore Storm, by Kroongraff, still finished 9th overall in the five-year-old final to collect €300.
Tipping the last fence was a blow to the rider whose medal chances of bronze went out the window despite being a fraction faster than Pender.
However Lackamore Storm, who is out of an Indoctro mare and bred by Ian Heslin, looks set for a great career. Kroongraff also sired the runner-up of Thursday’s opening day seven-year-old qualifier.
CSF Mr Kroon, ridden by Rossen Raitchev for Bulgaria, finished second from 189 entries and collected €750 in prize money.
With two in the money at Lanaken, Kroongraf has proved he is an Irish stallion “who is not half enough talked about.”
Ger O’Neill first brought Kroongraaf to Ireland some years ago and he is first to agree.
Ireland’s leading dealers Enda Carroll of Ashford Farm, Barry O’Connor, Maurice Cousins and Dan Walsh were just some of the names in Lanaken.
Ashford Farm was a major sponsor of the show, as was Stefan Conter of Stephex, who went on to produce runner up in the seven-year-old final with Lorenzo de Luca on board Jeleena De Muze.
Wexford men John Carney and Hugh Martin were happy bunnies going through the X-ray machines at Brussels airport with their huge blue and yellow Lanaken rosette for Killossery Kaiden.
The precious item was placed in the X-ray baskets separated from the suitcase and then placed on top as the owners headed through passport control.
“We are heading straight to the pub tonight,” said Martin with a laugh, with Carney adding: “A dream come true and Ger had planned towards winning.”
Meanwhile, the Aer Lingus pilots interrupted the flight with a congratulatory speech for Ger O’Neill and Michael Pender before the passengers cheered and clapped. However, it was Ger’s wife Ally who stole the show carrying the heavy blue winner’s globe on board, but not before pictures were taken all round by Heather Dean-Wright, Nicola FitzGibbon and Sharon Fitzpatrick.
Joanne Fox, of the Irish Farmers Journal, and her husband Finbar Mulligan attended Lanaken to cheer on Francis Connors with their homebred Pembrook Milenia.
The Diamant de Semilly mare out of a Lux Z dam was fourth in the 2014 Lanaken five-year-old finals with Stacey Babes and has been campaigned in Spain and Italy. The mare is owned by Michael Meller and Wrentwood Stables.
Joanne, who brought her two young children to the show explained: “I said to Finbar we are all going to Lanaken. Opportunities to see your homebred jumping in the world finals don’t come everyday so here we are again. It is a great privilege to breed a horse for this championship.”
Dutch breeders were so impressed by Michael Pender they thought he was trained by Bertram Allen. The Irishman replied: “No he is trained by Marion Hughes, but he is the next Bertram Allen and new kid on the block.”
Athlone show jumper Kiefer Stanley, a former winner of the bareback puissance at Ballinasloe Fair, is now based with VDL Stud in Holland. He attended Lanaken with VDL bosses where he was supporting Team Ireland.
“I love my job at VDL where I am a work rider. This is a super show, and I am very pleased to meet up with all my friends. It has been a great week of success.”
Omagh showjumper Jenny Rankin, stable rider for Richard and Deidre Bourns of Lisbeg Farm in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, took time off from duties to support Team Ireland in Lanaken. “I am not competing, just here to give support. It has been fantastic.”