THE Irish Sport Horse studbook has pulled off a record feat by yet again topping the eventing division in the just-released World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH). Its final rankings of 2017 show that the ISH studbook has catapulted itself from fifth place in the penultimate rankings to top of the leaderboard, a position it has held on all bar two years (2010, 2011), since the rankings first began in 1994.

Best of the Irish-breds is Cooley Cross Border (eighth), followed by Vanir Kamira (11th), Cooley SRS (24th), Ardagh Highlight (28th), Ballaghmor Clas (29th) and Kiltubrid Rhapsody (37th).

Speaking after the announcement, Horse Sport Ireland director of breeding and programmes Alison Corbally said: “We are delighted that the Irish Sport Horse Studbook has won the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) leading studbook award again in 2017. I would particularly like to congratulate the breeders of these six horses, Johnny Duffy (Louth), Kathryn Jackson (Monaghan), John Fitzhenry (Wexford), Noel Hickey (Limerick), and Marian Tighe (Leitrim) on their achievement in breeding such successful event horses.”

Horse Sport Ireland interim Chairman Jim Beecher added: “This is a great tribute to Irish breeders and their commitment to breeding the performance horse. They have done it year in year out often for limited reward. Despite our success to date, we will have to continue to raise our game, as competition from other studbooks is increasing every year.

"We have great raw material and intensifying our focus on the breeding goal will help us to remain competitive in the international arena.”

SHOW JUMPING

Meanwhile in the show jumping studbook division, the ISH studbook remains at 14th place, headed once again by Limestone Grey (76th), Luibanta BH (135th), Codarco (162nd), Cos I Can (172nd), MHS Going Global (286th) and Golvers Hill (300th).

It was a clean sweep in the show jumping studbook rankings for Belgium with the BWP (first) and sBs (third) separating the KWPN.

The Dutch studbook still reigns in the dressage world followed by the Hanoverian and Oldenburg studbooks. Germany also dominated the rest of the eventing studbook results, taking second (Oldenburg) and third (Holsteiner) places.

Halifax Van Het Kluizebos (KWPN), fischerRocana FST (DSP) and Weihegold (OLD) are the WBFSH’s number one horses in the individual rankings.

All the WBFSH rankings details in this Saturday’s The Irish Field and profiles of the six breeders of the victorious ISH eventing studbook horses in the following weeks.

WBFSH Eventing Studbook - 1, Irish Sport Horse: Cooley Cross Border (s. Diamond Roller. Breeder: Johnny Duffy); Vanir Kamira (s. Creevagh De Haar Z. Breeder: Kathryn Jackson); Cooley SRS (s. Ramiro B. Breeder: John Fitzhenry); Ardagh Highlight (s. Puissance. Breeder: Teresa Walsh), Ballaghmor Class (s. Courage II. Breeder: Noel Hickey) and Kiltubrid Rhapsody (s. Cascaletto St Ghyvaan Z. Breeder: Marian Tighe).