Promising crop of young horses at Millstreet Show
There was much deliberation over the National Discovery contest for four-year-olds, with six horses called back to be ridden by Pippa Allen and Spain’s Antonio Marinas Soto.
Two contenders emerged, Call Me Cool Z, owned by Deirdre Bourns, and Vivendi Time, owned by Denise Ryan.
Judges came down on the side of the former, scoring it 119 out of 130. The runner-up was one point behind, having scored high on conformation, but pipped in areas such as natural technique, scope/agility, temperament/attitude, “rideability” and jump (in the opinion of the foreign rider). Third place went to Think Again, owned by Niall Mullins and Niall Barrett.
Call me Cool Z was bred in Germany and is a grey mare by Clinton, out of the Grannus-sired dam Carianda.
Deirdre bought her in Belgium as a foal. Her husband Richard said: “Our plan is to produce her on to grand prix level. We had a few serious offers, but we are keeping her as we think she is one for the future and is very promising.”
Vivendi Time is a bay mare, by Ars Vivendi (the sire of last year’s winner of the Young Irelander final for three-year-olds at Millstreet) out of Olympic Time, by Try Time. Think Again is a chestnut gelding, by Larino with the dam Chelsea by Tinka’s Boy.
Judges in the final of the Young Irelander for three-year-old horses (Britain’s Mike Florence, Roland Ferneyhough and Joseph Murphy), also had their work cut out selecting a winner. They called two back and settled on Kiss as the champion.
A grey gelding by Cardento, he was produced by Richard Hourigan and is owned by Seamus Carew. The reserve was KBS Lauda, a bay gelding, produced by Liam Kennedy. By Obos Quality, he is out of Currabawn Carla, by Harlequin Du Carel.
The final of the Horse Sport Ireland sport horse foal championship on Sunday morning included the top show jumping and eventing colts and fillies from six regional qualifiers assessed.
The championship aims to identify, evaluate and reward breeders who have bred a foal with the potential to be competitive at the highest international level in show jumping or eventing. The champion foal in each category was awarded €1,500, with each reserve receiving €500.
Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine and Mike Florence judged the show jumping finalists. They selected Andries De Bont as the colt winner with a foal by VDL Bubalu (KWPN) out of Vamp (KWPN) by Colino (HOLST).
The reserve was Henry Gardiner’s colt foal by S Creevagh Ferro Ex Siebe (KWPN) out of Fermoyle Jane (ISH) by Captain Clover (ISH).
The show jumping filly section was won by Tom Clancy with a filly by OBOS Quality out of the Irish sport horse TC Miss Cruise by the great show jumper and successful sire Cruising.
The reserve show jumping filly went to show jumper Olive Clarke’s foal by the European show jumping team gold medalist Cornet Obolensky out of Paradise G (KWPN) by Indoctro (HOLST).
The potential eventing foals were judged by Carol Gee and Jessica Harrington. The colt section was won by Malachy and Nuala O’Hare with a traditionally-bred foal by the American thoroughbred Clerkenwell out of the Irish sport horse Bellville Diamond, who is by the Irish draught Flagmount Diamond.
The reserve was awarded to Thomas Horgan’s colt foal by the Belgian warmblood Querlybet Hero (SBS) out of Cavalier Iris (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST).
The top eventing filly foal was won by Alex Deon with a filly by the Oldenburg Castleforbes Lord Lancer out of Gurraun Last Touch (AES) by the American thoroughbred Last News. The reserve eventing filly went to Derek Jenning’s foal by OBOS Quality out of Another Dream (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST).
Meanwhile, a filly foal by I’m Special de Muze made €8,000 in an auction.
