The somewhat contentious atmosphere at the Irish Horse co-op in Mallow last week was somewhat softened through the presentation of the 10th annual HSI Breeder Awards.

Tom Jones of Greaghwilliam Stud, Carrickmacross, was honoured for his Outstanding Contribution to Irish Sport Horse Breeding. He was one of the first to establish a local breeders group back in the early 1990s. More recently, he went online to offer 14 sons and daughters of his stallion Carrick Diamond Lad for sale, got 300 replies and sold eight of them to Britain, Italy and USA.

Taking the trophy for the Highest Placed Event Horse on the WBFSH rankings was William Kells of Killeshandra, County Cavan, for Mighty Nice by Ard Ohio out of a Pennistone dam that won bronze at Rio and is now rated the number one eventer in the world.

Breeder of the highest placed Irish show jumper on the WBFSH rankings was David Moran of Deelside Stud, Askeaton, Co Limerick, for Limestone Grey that is now winning for Lorenzo De Luca of Italy.

Ireland’s three medal winners at the World Young Horse Show Jumping Championships in Lanaken this year brought awards to Laura Glynn for Killossery Kaiden that took six-year-old gold for Ger O’Neill and also to Marion Hughes and her sister Anne for Z7 Caretina and Z7 Can Ya Dance that won five-year-old silver and bronze with Michael Pender. The highest placed Irish horse at the World Young Horse Eventing Championships in Le Lion D‘Angers, Business Class, brought an award to Don Hadden of Tinahely, County Wicklow.

Breeder of best showing mare was Dr Moira McKelvey of Saintfield, County Down, for dual Dublin winner Slatequarry Sasha by Ghareeb out of a Coevers Diamond Boy dam. The top Irish Draught Showing mare was Uibh Fhaile Duchess bred by Noel Hamilton of Blessington.

Junior and senior young breeder awards went to Christine O’Donnell of Gowran and Becky Grimes of Milverton, County Dublin. Olympic performance at Rio awards were given to both William Kells for Mighty Nice and to Paula Cullen for fourth-placed Paulank Brockagh by Touchdown out of a Triggero dam.

The pony trophy went to Jennifer Richardson of Dublin for the Connemara Pony Ballyowen Maybell Molly.

Going Global sold

“It will not be easy to find another like him,” Greg Broderick says about the sale for many millions of his star horse MHS Going Global to Greek heiress Athina Onassis.

Jointly owned by Greg and Canadian Lee Kruger, this 10-year-old gelding by Quidam Junior out of Ita and Tom Brennan’s Cavalier mare Gowran Lady came to Ballypatrick stables as a five-year-old back in 2011.

Double clears in two Aga Khan Cups and a double as well at St Gallen made him Ireland’s choice for an Olympic shot in Rio.

He also had great performances at Global Champions Tour events and at the 2016 Furusiyya Final in Barcelona.

When we, at The Irish Horse, spoke to Greg during this year’s Balmoral Show, he indicated that already at that time there were offers for “Junior” of €10m plus. The exact final selling price to Athina through Jan Tops is not known, but is surely in the eight-figure region.

International entrepreneur and organiser of the Global Champions Tour, Jan Tops, along with his top show jumper wife Edwina Tops Alexander, flew into Shannon some three weeks ago with buyer Athina Onassis on her private jet. Having ridden Going Global at Ballypatrick stables, the deal was done pending all the veterinary tests that were finalised last week.

Sadly Ita Brennan did not live to see this new phase in this wonderful gelding’s career. Our congratulations go out to Tom and to Greg, who so sympathetically brought him to the top level of world competition. All three of them proved what we can do here in Ireland.

We wish Athina well with her new purchase and hope that Greg can either breed or find another to replace him.