HORSE Sport Ireland and Lanaken chef d’equipe John Ledingham have named their 15-strong team to represent the Irish WBFSH Studbooks at the FEI World Breeding Jumping Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken next month from September 12th to 16th.

There was some confusion this week when just five combinations were named in each of the age categories, as last month The Irish Field carried the news that the quota had been increased from five to seven in each class.

It is believed there is a mix-up between the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) and the FEI, however Irish Horse World had not received a definite answer at the time of going to press. It is understood they are working towards a resolution and that is the reason why three reserves (and four in the seven-year-old section), instead of the usual two, have been named in each age division.

In the seven-year-old category, the top-placed horse from the international young horse class at Dublin, HHS Calais ridden by Mikey Pender, was automatically included as per the selection criteria. Pender also takes HHS Geneva from the Hughes/Bravo Co Kilkenny yard. That combination won last week’s Boomerang final at the Millstreet International Horse Show and the 18-year-old Kildare native is the only rider to have a horse through in every age category.

In the seven-year-olds, he is joined by Susan Fitzpatrick and her mother Sharon’s home-bred Keatingstown Z Wellie Two, winner of the ISH Studbook Series in Tattersalls, Cameron Hanley with his own ESI Toulouse, and Francis Connors makes it four Kilkenny-bred horses with Sinead Brennan’s MHS High Hopes.

DUBLIN CHAMPIONS

The criteria in the six-year-old division allows the top two horses in the championship at the 2018 Dublin Horse Show to travel. Dublin champion Temple Alice heads the list with Eddie Moloney, while second-placed Gerard Clarke and Patrick Sutton’s King Lupin also get their ticket.

Pender was selected with Javas Gucci, winner of the second six-year-old qualifier in Dublin. Also from Marion Hughes, who sends a total of six horses, is Kevin Gallagher with HHS Fast Forward, another Dublin finalist.

European young rider medallist Jack Ryan was selected with his family home-bred BBS McGregor after an excellent run of results, including ISH Studbook Series wins in Tattersalls and Cork, caught Ledingham’s eye.

A former double medal winner at these championships, Pender also heads the five-year-old division with the Dublin winner HHS New York. The Ballypatrick Stables team are left out of the selection this year but Greg and Cheryl Broderick do have one home-bred, BP Wakita, travelling to Lanaken under Aiden Killen. That combination were runners-up in the Dublin championship.

The remaining three five-year-olds also contested that Dublin final.

They are: last year’s six-year-old gold medal winner Ger O’Neill with Castle Mathilda; Kevin Gallagher and Presidential Ball; and Jessica Burke with Orestus Clover.

SEVEN-YEAR-OLDS

SIX-YEAR-OLDS

FIVE-YEAR-OLDS