AN impressive prize fund of €10,000 was on offer for last weekend’s final of the Horse Sport Ireland Foal Championship at Barnadown, split over the four champion classes.

Six strongly contested regional qualifiers held nationwide resulted in four foals selected to contest the best show jumping type colt and filly, and the best eventing type colt and filly.

The Sport Horse Foal Championship aims to identify, evaluate and reward breeders who have bred a foal that has the potential to be competitive at the highest international level in the disciplines of show jumping or eventing. Foals were judged under the criteria of functional conformation, walk, trot, canter, overall athleticism and balance as well as pedigree.

There was also a special prize for the overall best traditionally-bred foal which was won by Derroon Eagle (ISH) (TIH) the Eventing Colt by Imperial Heights (ISH) out of Rathdooney (ISH) by Taldi (IRE) (TB), bred and owned by Anne Maguire, Sligo.

Edward Doyle and Di Fairclough judged the show jumping foals while Lt Col Brian MacSweeney (retired) and Stephanie Von Schilder judged the eventing foals.

Doyle said: “In general, I would like to see more emphasis placed on performance dam lines, in particular for the show jumping foals.”

MacSweeney stated the winning eventing colt foal Munthers Magic (ISH) stood out in quality and athleticism. “There were excellent pedigrees throughout all classes and while the event filly foal class was very difficult to judge, the winning filly’s pedigree was outstanding. This is an excellent initiative by Horse Sport Ireland and the Breeding Department and it is clear to see the improvement in young stock over the last couple of years due to these classes.”

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