Catching up with the main European show jumping stud books remains elusive for Irish breeders. The latest rankings show five Irish-breds in the world’s top 200 jumpers. Leading the way are the Dutch with almost a quarter of the list from their KWPN book. They have 47 of the top 200, followed by the Belgians with 31 and the Selle Français on 28.

Our five are Castlefield Eclipse in 25th (OBOS Quality x Furisto); 81st Special Lux (Lux Z x Coille Mor Hill); 175th Unex Omega Star (Quick Star x Quatoubet Du Rouet); 189th Suma’s Zorro (Ard VDL Douglas x Vixen’s Frolic); and 191st A Touch Imperious (Touchdown x Cavalier Royale).

The most striking fact to emerge from a study of this list is the diversity and lack of consistency in breeding patterns. This is a hit-or-miss process that is based not so much on a stud book identity as on the selection processes used in each country and the decisions of individual breeders.

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Twenty-one stud books are represented and it is amazing that only three sires have produced more than five of that 200. Further indicating diversity is the breeding of those three. Kannan has eight. He is in the KWPN stud book but he is by the Hannovarian Voltaire and out of a mare that has Dutch, Selle Français and Holsteiner in her background.

Next comes Coronet Obolensky, who is in the Belgian stud book but is by the Holsteiner Clinton and out of a dam by the KWPN Heartbreaker. Third is Quick Star. He is listed as Selle Français and is by Galoubet but he is out of a mare by the Anglo Arab Nithard.

In terms of the dams of the top 200, only one stallion produced five or more of them. That is the Belgian Darco, who was by the Hannoverian Lugano van la Roche and out of a dam by the Holsteiner Codex.

So what we really have here in the top 200 is a pan-European show jumping horse. And it seems time that this is recognised. Borders and stud books are now blurred and, just as in the thoroughbred world, only the place a foal is born has any real meaning.