Loose Jumping

The popular three-year-old loose jumping competition, sponsored by HSI, has always been a firm favourite with breeders. As has been the case in recent years, the format of this year’s competition consisted of a class for colts and geldings and a second class for fillies.

Ten animals started in each class having qualified at ten different venues. The sires Aganix du Seigneur and OBOS Quality accounted for two horses each in the colts and geldings class and the sire Sligo Candy Boy accounted for two of the fillies. Only one of the qualified horses was by a traditional Irish bred sire - the former army show jumper Boherdeal Clover. This year the three-year-olds were judged by non-other than Olympic gold medallist, Nick Skelton.

Colts and Geldings

In the colts and geldings class, the spoils went to a good looking chestnut colt owned and bred by Brendan Mc Sorley from Co Tyrone. This unnamed colt displayed super-fast reflexes and abundant scope. He is by Aganix du Seigneur out of a mare by Clover Echo. The dam has great credentials, being a full sister to international showjumper Echo Beach. Second place went to another colt Stetterino B, (Stetter X Calido 1) owned and bred by Claudia Gisler and Belmount House Stud, this very attractive dark bay blood-type horse was hugely impressive in his jump. It will be interesting to see in the years ahead if these young sires are supported by breeders and become successful sires of show jumpers. Third place in the colts and geldings class went to the very handsome gelding Kilcannon High Cavalier (Cavalier Royale X Puissance), owned and bred by Mary Bolger. This big attractive bay gelding really pleased the crowd with his jumping effort.

Fillies

In the fillies class the top three horses were only split by one point each. The winner Candy Rose by Sligo Candy Boy out of a Lux Z mare is owned and bred by Padraig Arthur from Co Roscommon. This big bay mare displayed an impressive jump showing great scope and technique.

The runner-up in the fillies class went to KM Sport Horses Dawson’s Orestus by Orestus out of a Cruising mare, bred by Peter Killeen from Co Roscommon.

Third place went to Normann Watt’s unnamed filly by Van Gogh (out of an Arko mare) bred by George McCullough from Co Down.

Interestingly in the fillies class all of the dam sires for the top three had competed at the highest level internationally (Cruising, Lux Z and Arko) and the sires of the winner and runner up have both previously produced winners in this class.

Hopefully all three and the other worthy finalists will breed many useful offspring as well as fulfilling their competition duties.