THE Irish Sport Horse studbook has scored a decisive win in this year’s World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) eventing rankings. Leading the way for the six Irish-breds, whose collective results see the ISH studbook secure this title for a record 21 out of 23 years, is the Williams Kells-bred Mighty Nice.

Philip Dutton’s Rio Olympics bronze medallist horse stands second in the individual horse rankings between Balmoral Sensation (first) and La Biosthetique Sam (third). This is the best result for an Irish-bred eventer since Mr Medicott’s leading individual title in the 2012 rankings.

Results from Cooley Rorkes Drift (17th), Ringwood Sky Boy (18th), One Two Many (25th), Fernhill Fugitive (29th) and ODT Ghareeb (33rd) also contributed to the ISH current total of 1,402 points, ahead of the Hanoverian (1,248) and Holsteiner (1,173) studbooks. These German studbooks top the respective dressage and show jumping rankings.

However, the ISH result in the eventing rankings should be revised, as the Irish-bred Cillnabradden Evo (13th) is still listed without his studbook or breeder details, an issue Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is currently checking with the WBFSH.

Describing the win as “great news for Irish Breeding,” HSI chairman, Prof. Pat Wall also said: “It is encouraging that we are still holding our own at the top of the rankings. Well done to the breeders who produced the horses that secured our place at the top of the rankings.”

The ISH studbook moved up one place to 13th in the show jumping rankings, due chiefly to two Irish-breds in the top-100: Limestone Grey (57th) and MHS Going Global (84th). A full analysis will appear in next week’s issue.