Allen and Breen score pair of five-star wins

Irish show jumpers continued their superb form across the globe last weekend, with Tipperary’s Shane Breen and Wexford’s Bertram Allen both claiming major wins at five-star level on Friday.

Breen had already made his mark at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates when taking a win in Thursday’s Sharjah Tourism 1.45m two-phase competition with the mare Evita, and he had to wait just 24 hours for another win at the same venue. This time riding Team Z7 Ipswich in the Sharjah Bank Islamic Challenge 1.50m.

Meanwhile, at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, Wexford’s Bertram Allen was in top form when filling two of the top three places in the $37,000 Bainbridge 1.45m. Allen took the winner’s prize with Lafayette van Overis and then grabbed another large slice of the prize fund when also filling third spot with Quiet Easy 4.

Frank and Paula Cullen lost their foundation broodmare Calendar Girl, the dam of Badminton winner Paulank Brockagh, last week.

The Triggerero 29-year-old was spotted at Fairyhouse sport horse sales in 1992 where she was an impulse buy by Paula.

Bred in Co Sligo by PJ Lang, Calendar Girl was by the thoroughbred sire Triggerero out of the Frenchwood mare, Glendora.

Her Carnival Night grand-dam Ballinvullen Nan is also the third dam of Carling King, joint-fourth at the Athens Olympics with Kevin Babington.

Calendar Girl bred a total of 15 foals for the Cullens, including her first offspring Paulank Kimble (Cruising) exported to Italy and later bought back by the couple as a broodmare; Paulank Camaderry (French Buffet) and Paulank Brave (Ghareeb), both sold to the US; four-star eventer Paulank King’s River (Kings Master) and her final foal; Paulank Spink (Cruising Arish).

The Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association will host a stallion parade in Mullingar Equestrian centre on Sunday, February 23.

Over 30 stallions have been entered - this Includes high performance show jumping and eventing stallions and RDS show class winners. The parade is open to Irish Draught, Traditional Irish Horse, Thoroughbred and Connemara stallions.

There will be a free reception on the day with wine, tea and coffee and a free prize draw on the day for a tonne of feed from the Homeland Store in Ballaghaderreen.

All welcome to what should be a top class showcase of the Irish horse, the parade kicks off at 12 noon and entry is free of charge. Enquiries to idhba@eircom.net.