Horseware Woodcourt Garrison 10th in WBFSH rankings

THE KWPN studbook recorded a clean sweep in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) 2020 dressage, eventing and show jumping rankings from a much-curtailed competition season.

Mountmellick breeder Patrick J. Kearns and Galway Bay Stud’s Justin Burke bred the highest-placed Irish performers while the Irish Sport Horse (ISH) studbook finished in fourth and 14th places in eventing and show jumping.

Laois links are prevalent among breeders and bloodlines, including the top Irish event horse; Breda Kennedy’s Horseware Woodcourt Garrison, competed by Sarah Ennis.

“I’m delighted for Mrs Kennedy. The owners put a lot of money and time into the sport and only for the likes of them, there’d be no sport. My wife Monica is a great help, watching out for mares at foaling time, and my grandaughter Rachel Meaney is very interested in breeding horses,” said Patrick (P.J) Kearns this week.

He also bred the recent Underwriting Exchange Grand Prix champion; Tom and Sorcha Hennessy’s Dothraki Warlord (Mermus R) and the Connemara pony stallion Brock Lodge Buster (Ashfield Festy).

In show jumping, Justin Burke bred both the Anglo European Studbook-registered Galway Bay Jed (Romanov x Lux Z), ranked 79th and Luibanta BH (ISH, Luidam x Abantos) who jumped from last year’s 258th place to 84th.

“I never had a mare until 2007. I never thought 13 years ago that this could be achieved but it is special to be recognised as the breeder. It is amazing that Jed was our first pregnancy by frozen semen and from Philip [McManus] showing me the famous black dot on a screen to meeting Jed in Vejer as an eight-year-old with Harriett [Nuttall] – in such uncertain times, there is always something to look forward to with horses,” Burke told The Irish Field this week.

The top six horses from each studbook count towards this category’s result. The leading ISH eventers are Horseware Woodcourt Garrison (Garrison Royale; Breeder: Patrick J. Kearns; Ranked: 10th); Imperial Sky (Puissance; Carolyn Lanigan O’Keeffe; 12th); Lukas (Lux Z; Louise Parkhill; 32nd); Monarts Masterpiece (Master Imp; Wilfred Atkinson; 44th); Woodford Reserve (Tinarana’s Inspector; Frank Hickey; 46th) and Tullyoran Cruise JRA (Vriend; Patrick Walpole; 49th).

In the show jumping category, Luibanta BH (Luidam; Justin Burke; 84th); Penelope Cruz (Ustinov; Liam McKee; 207th); BEC Lorenzo (SIEC Livello; Brian Duff; 251st); Castleforbes Vladimir (Vivaldo Van Het Costersveld; Lady Georgina Forbes) and Columbcille De Reve (Hermes de Reve; George McDonald; equal 351st) and Lapuccino 2 (SIEC Livello; Sven Kapp; 364th) are the highest-ranked Irish Sport Horses.

Two more prominent Irish-breds are Compelling Z (Chellano Z; Carmel Ryan; 162nd. ZANG) and Shanaclough Contadora (Contador; Ann Glynn; 29th. AES) in the show jumping and eventing categories.