Michael Slavin

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A total of 13 Irish Sport Horse breeders were recognised at this year’s HSI annual breeding awards ceremony, held in conjunction with the Horse Board AGM in Mullingar on Monday last. Typifying the spirit of the event was the comment from Bandon breeder P.J. Hegarty, who took a trophy for his eventing champion mare Fenyas Elegance, by Ricardo Z out of his Good Thyne mare Fenya, that this year won the CCI three star at Blenheim for Aoife Clarke.

He noted: “It costs the same to keep a good one as an average one. He also noted that it is essential to have performance on both the sire and the dam side.

Joining P.J. as an eventing award winner was Jenny McCann for Andrew Nicholson’s great Luhmuhlen champion Mr. Cruise Control by Cruising out of Hartwell Stud’s Broussard mare Chia. Jenny’s sister Gina picked up the trophy on her behalf. Also in the eventing sphere, an award went to William Micklem for his successful breeding programme. Two that he bred are listed among the top 150 in the world – full brothers Mandiba and High Kingdom by Master Imp out of his Chairlift mare High Dolly.

Show jumping awards

The trophy for the most successful show jumping breeding programme went to Dr Noel Cawley of Newpark Lodge Stud, Eadestown, Co Kildare. Four horses bred by him are now listed in the world’s top 1,000.

Among his products are Solerina (Cruising/Diamond Lad); Cruise On Clover (Cruising/Clover Hill); Mullaghdrin Gold Rain (Golden Cliff/Irco Mena) and Rincarina (Cruising/Diamond Lad). Pat Nihil of O’Brien’s Bridge, Co Clare, took the top international show jumper award for Swiss international team star Castlefield Eclipse out of Furisto Clover Hill and by O.B.O.S. Quality, who also produced last year’s winner in this category, Lisona. Also in show jumping, Judith Sossick of Randlestown, Co Antrim, was awarded for her mare Loughview Lou Lou (Limmerick/Jack of Diamonds) who is the Irish Sport Horse that contributed most to the Irish team during 2013.

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Young Horse

The World Young Horse Breeding Championship awards went to Agata Leonard of Birr in show jumping and Mary Quinlivan of Kanturk in eventing. Agata’s Arraghbeg Clover by Captain Clover out of a Bonnie Prince mare took gold for Greg Broderick at Lanaken. Mary’s Fernhill Adventure by Newmarket Venture won eventing silver for Aoife Clark in Le Lion d’Angers.

Showing Honours

The showing mare trophies were taken by Rosemary Connors of Woodstown, and by Raymond Sloyan of Ballyhaunis. Rosemary was honoured for her late father’s great 2013 Irish Field RDS Breeders winner Woodfield Valier (Lucky Valier/Pierre). Raymond’s win was for his 2012 Leitrim Breeders champion Irish Draught mare, Elm View (Elm Hill/Sir Rivie).

Also honoured was Ireland’s junior team of four who won gold at the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses International Young Breeders Championship in Bollerup, Sweden, last July. It included Orla Dooley, Caoimhe Kenny, Alyssa O’Neill and Ruaidhri O’Cianain. Two special awards went to Seamus Hughes of Williamstown Stud for his contribution for Irish breeding and to veterinary surgeon Tom Hurley who has served as inspector to the Irish Horse Register since 1987.

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THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Cavan’s last

sales of 2013

Tuesday to Thursday,

26 – 28 November

All roads will lead to Cavan E.C. for the November Sales – International Performance, Young Stock Sport Horse and Registered Irish Draught. These last sales of 2013 kick off on Tuesday with the Performance Horse and Pony sale. To purchase top young stock and broodmares, you will need to attend the sales on Thursday. November sale catalogues can be viewed online.

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www.cavanequestrian.com

Teagasc National Equine Breeding Conference

Thursday, 21 November

Entitled Breeding and Producing the Modern Showjumper, Teagasc’s conference will take place in the Tullamore Court Hotel, Tullamore, Co Offaly. It’s an all-day event from 10am to 4pm, with registration at 9.15am. The focus of the conference is to offer breeders an opportunity to come together and hear the views of industry professionals on current demands of the global marketplace with respect to showjumpers. The current challenges for breeders and advice on the path for success will be up for discussion. Admission is €40 and includes lunch.

Racing

Thurles, Thursday,

21 November

Racing kicks off in Thurles at 12.25 with seven races on the cards, including the www.thurlesraces.ie Beginners Steeplechase at 2.30pm. For further information, contact www.thurlesraces.ie. Racing will continue at Dundalk on Friday, 22 November, and move to Gowran Park on Saturday, 23 November, and then to Navan on Sunday, 24 November. The race card at Navan on Sunday will include the Grade B Ladbrokes Troytown Handicap Steeplechase at 2.25pm.

www.navanracecourse.ie

Points For

Twomey at

Stuttgart

qualifier

Ireland’s Billy Twomey picked up 12 qualifying points when placing fifth in the hugely competitive Stuttgart World Cup qualifier last Sunday.

First to go in the nine-horse jump-off, his good time of 38.76 on Tinka’s Serenade was beaten four times.

Winning it was Germany’s Hans-Dieter Dreher on Embassy II (Escudo/Silvio) in 36.27. Denis Lynch had eight in the first round.

The Cork rider is now 19th in the 2013/2014 Longines World Cup standings after its fourth leg at Stuttgart, with fellow-countryman Shane Breen in 14th.

The table is headed by Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat. Denis Lynch, Ireland’s other competitor in last week’s World Cup qualifier, had two fences down in the first round with Abbervail van het Dingeshof, and did not qualify for the jump-off.