News

Michael Slavin

IT is pure brilliant for Irish breeding to come here to the heart of Europe and win world young horse gold, silver and bronze medals.”

These were the words of Ireland’s chef d’equipe John Ledingham as Kilkenny’s Ger O’Neill took his golden lap of honour on the Laura and Frank Glynn-bred Killossery Kaiden after winning the six-year-old championship at Lanaken in Belgium on Sunday.

This success followed a silver and bronze for Ireland in the five-year-old championship. In that class, Carlow’s young star Michael Pender scored a unique double as he took second and third place out of 53 finalists to bring home a whole batch of prizes on the Marion Hughes-bred Z Seven Caretina and Z Seven Canya Dance, who was bred by her sister Anne.

“This is just fantastic”, said a delighted Alison Corbally of Horse Sport Ireland. Corbally described it as a turning point in the history of Irish breeding. “All of our horses in these championships are the result of our breeding programme that began back in 2009 and we are now beginning to reap results."

DOUBLE CLEAR

Ger O’Neill’s fiery mount Killossery Kaiden delivered the only double clear from 40 finalists to earn his brilliant gold.

This is a gelding by Tom Meagher’s stallion Lux Z out of Laura and Frank Glynn’s Cruising mare Killossery Kruisette. Kaiden is now owned by KM Sport Horses in Wexford.

He won this year's RDS qualifier in Mullingar before going on to be runner-up in Ballsbridge. From an original start list of 264, O'Neill placed third in the opening qualifier and had just one down in the second to earn a place in the final of 40.

In the final they had one of the nine first round clears. Scheduled to go mid-way in the jump-off, the Kilkenny man produced the only double clear for the spectacular win. When it was over he told us: “The horse gave me everything over what was a very difficult jump-off track. I have to give great credit to Greg Broderick who said to me on Wednesday 'You can win a medal and I will do all I can to help'.

"He was with me all the way. Then, just as I was going in, John Ledingham said 'go for the clear and we will have that medal.'”

FIVE-YEAR-OLD FINAL

Out of the 228 starters in the five-year-old qualifiers, five Irish-breds made it through to the final of 53. Single fences denied Ger O’Neill on Esi Toulouse and Darragh Ryan on both Lackamore Storm and Esi Starstruck.

But Michael Pender qualified two for the 20-horse jump-off.

Second to go with Z Seven Canya Dance, he was clear again on this one, by Marion Hughes’s stallion Can Ya Makan out of Anne Hughes’s Cavalier mare Chantilly Lace.

Then from a late draw, he also had Marion Hughes’s Z Seven Caretina (by Coltaire Z out of her Caratino mare) into the fray. A former European pony championship team medalist, Pender set a brilliant pace with Canya Dance in 39.04 that stymied all comers until he himself beat it in 38.86 with Caretina.

At that point Ireland held gold and silver placings. It was all down to the last man in - William Greve of Holland on Garnet, by Warrant. The flying Dutchman took a daring run to the second last that shaved just 0.4secs of the leading time to scoop gold in 38.46. So it was silver and bronze for Ireland.

For good measure Pender also won Saturday’s six-year-old consolation class with his own Barnaby Flight mare Curra Clover Flight, who was bred in Wexford by Harry Quigley.

Shane Dalton finished second in the five-year-old consolation with the stallion Castletown Captain Junior, by Captain Clover out of a Diamond Lad dam.

SEVEN-YEAR-OLDS

Ireland had all 12 home-bred horses through to the three finals out of an original list of 824. In the seven-year-olds, Francis Connors was through with both Linda Courtney’s Primo Troy and Michael Meller/Wrenwood Stables' Pembrook Milenia. Also in the final was Peter Moloney with Esi Carvalho from Ennisnag Stud. However, fences down in the first round denied them a shot at the medals.

After a five horse jump-off, the gold went to Belgium’s Thierry Goffinet on Think Twice, by Toulon out of a Cassini dam.

Overall what a celebration this world championship was for Irish breeding. What a credit it was to the Hughes sisters, to Laura and Frank Glynn and to our talented and determined riders Michael Pender and Ger O’Neill. Well done all.

FURUSIYYA FINAL

Both Bertram Allen and Cian O’Connor are missing from Robert Splaine’s selection for this week’s €2 million Furusiyya Final in Barcelona.

On the squad that will be bidding for a good share of the prizes and a solid slot in next year’s series are Shane Breen, Anthony Condon, Greg Broderick, Darragh Kenny and Denis Lynch. They will be hoping to finish today’s (Thursday) first round among the top eight teams that will qualify for Saturday’s overall €1.5 million final.

Elsewhere Bertram Allen came 14th in the global champions final qualifying leg at Vienna. He remains fourth in the overall standing going to the championship in Doha. His Valkenswaard United team heads the Global Champions League.