Star of the Month winner

CONGRATULATIONS to Galway show jumper Jessica Burke who was voted The Irish Field/Gain Equine Nutrition Star of the Month for April by the public following her three-star Grand Prix win in Arezzo, Italy, with Liam Nicholas’ home-bred Express Trend (Future Trend x Condios).

SJI Live improvements

THE introduction of SJI Live has been game changing for competitors and fans of show jumping and Showjumping Ireland made further improvements this week by linking rounds from the classes to the app.

A video icon is now shown beside videoed classes and the link will bring you straight to the event, such as the RDS qualifiers at Barnadown this week. The feature will be rolled out to more events this summer, bringing the sport to a wider audience.

NIHB AGM date

THE Northern Ireland Horse Board will hold their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday June 14th 2023 at 7.30pm at The Meadows Equestrian Centre Conference Room.

Nominations are now open. Nomination forms can be found on www.nihorseboard.orgor, by contacting the office on 028 383 43355, or emailing info@nihorseboard.org.

Nominations close at 12 noon on Tuesday June 6th.

IHB Breeders’ Marketing Seminar at Mullingar

THE Irish Horse Board is hosting a Breeders’ Marketing Seminar next Friday, June 2nd, at Mullingar International Horse Show, taking place at 5pm. The seminar will discuss breeding and marketing Irish horses and will cover marketing foals to ridden horses, led by international sport horse agent, coach and breeder Barry O’Connor and guests.

Attendees will learn how to value their horse and how to add value to their foals and horses, as well as where to sell their horse for the best price. The seminar will run for approximately one hour and refreshments will be available while the chat continues afterwards. For more information and to register your interest, contact info@ihb.ie.

HSI sponsorship

BALLINDENISK International Horse Trials has been awarded a generous sponsorship of €10,000 from Horse Sport Ireland’s Breeding Grant initiative for the Michael Leonard five and six-year-old Championships CCI1* class, to be held from September 20th-24th. This funding will significantly enhance the event and support the development of young horses in the country. “We are immensely grateful to Horse Sport Ireland for their generous sponsorship of the Michael Leonard five and six-year-old Championships,” said Peter Fell of Ballindenisk International Horse Trials. “Their support enables us to provide a platform for talented young horses to showcase their skills and develop their potential in a highly competitive environment. The class is a springboard for future success as demonstrated by the 2019 winner Sligo Candy Cane, then ridden by Sarah Ennis, who has since finished in the top 15 at Pratoni in 2022 under Bill Levett. This funding will undoubtedly contribute to many more Irish bred horses competing on worldwide stages.”

Breen’s Germaine W sold to Cian O’Connor

TREVOR Breen’s five-star mount Germaine W has been sold to Cian O’Connor. The 12-year-old mare, who Breen produced since 2020 for Mandy Hall, has had plenty of success in the sport, including winning the two-star Grand Prix in Dubai earlier this year, as well as a five-star class at the 2022 Dublin Horse Show.

Announcing the news, Breen said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to produce and ride this mare, who has given us so many amazing moments. She has been part of my top string for the last few years, and we wish Cian and the whole Karlswood team the best of luck with her - we’re excited to see the partnership flourish in the future.”

HSI schemes launched

HORSE Sport Ireland launched its breeding initiatives for 2023 and opened applications. These schemes are funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) through National Breeding Services to the tune of almost €2.9 million, with additional production classes and events to be launched in the autumn. A full list of the schemes – including mare X-ray screening, starting scheme (breaking), schooling, embryo transfer etc can be viewed on Horse Sport Ireland’s website.