Disappointing start for Ireland
Day one of dressage saw Cork’s Patricia Ryan and Fernhill Clover Mist finish on 58.8 penalties. Earlier, Mark Kyle opened Ireland’s challenge – which mainly centres on qualification for the 2012 London Olympics – with a performance that, on the face of it could have been better, but in fact saw Step In Time post a personal best of 65.5 penalties.
It meant Ireland lay 12th overnight of the 14 teams, with Ryan and Kyle in 31st and 38th place, respectively.
Kyle was, nevertheless, upbeat.
“I’m really pleased with him,” he said directly after his test. “He finds this aspect of eventing the most difficult. He’s quite a tight rubber-ball of a horse. The atmosphere gets to him a little bit. It’s a personal best for him, which is a good thing. There was a lot to like about it: The trot work was good, he just anticipated the canter work a little bit. We are delighted with how he’s coming along. Ferdi (Eilberg, dressage coach) has been a great help with him,” said the Leicestershire-based Dubliner.
Kyle felt the best is yet to come from the 11-year-old gelding, who produced jumping clears in cross-country and show jumping at this year’s Badminton to rocket from 75th to 20th.
“He’s here in the team to, hopefully, excel on Saturday and Sunday, that’s his strong point, touch wood. If he finishes on 65 on Sunday, then it will be job done.”
High performance manager Ginny Elliot will be hoping for an improvement today with Sam Watson (Horseware Bushman) and Capt Geoff Curran (The Jump Jet) undertaking their dressage, while the competition’s youngest competitor, 21-year-old Camilla Speirs from Kildare, and the smallest horse Portersize Just A Jiff, compete as individuals.
* A STALLION by the Oldenburg sire Aldatus Z won Ireland’s first title at the World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken, Belgium, last weekend.
NLS Coole Al Clover, ridden by Clem McMahon, beat 248 starters, of which 50 made Sunday’s final.
He was bred by Eamonn Kenny, from Attanagh, Co Laois, who watched the contest along with his sons Brian, the owner of NLS Coole Al Clover, and Alan.
For 18 years, Ireland has waited for a title at the championships, with the previous best result last year, when the studbook placed second with Drumiller Lough. Rincoola Abu placed third in 1996, while in 2006, Cavalier Andy placed fourth.
The Irish Sport Horse studbook also claimed bronze in the final for seven-year-old horses, courtesy of Ballypatrick Mystique and Tipperary rider Greg Broderick. The pair beat a starting field of 186.
A chestnut mare, Ballypatrick Mystique was bred by Ita Brennan, Gowran, Co Kilkenny and is by the Hannovarian stallion Heritage Fortunus out of a Cavalier Royale mare.
Cruising – the sire of Rincoola Abu – also featured in the five-year-old championships, with the grey gelding Interpreter and James Hogg placing eighth.
* IT’S A bit of a long shot, but the owner of a horse purchased at the Goresbridge eventing sale at Monart, Co Wexford on November 11 will get a €25,000 bonus if the animal goes on to win a four-star international three-day event.
The initiative comes from the “creative” ideas department of Horse Sport Ireland, who must be lauded for trying to drum up business.
While the chances of any horse bought at the sale going to win a four-star are slim, it is not an outlandish prospect, as HSI chairman Joe Walsh noted.
“Already this year, two Irish-bred horses have won four-star competitions with Tankerstown winning at Luhmuhlen and Lenamore at Burghley, while many were highly placed,” he said, explaining that the bonus scheme would be run on a pilot basis.
HSI will also fund an enhanced inward buyer programme, with buyers coming from the US able to claim up to €800 towards their flight as long as they spend a minimum of €5,000 at the Monart sale. Applicants will also have to participate in a HSI market research survey.
Walsh said HSI was anxious to support the concept of select sales.
Irish event horses have topped the World Breeding Federation rankings for 15 consecutive years and Mr Walsh said that the World Equestrian Games was an ideal opportunity to promote Ireland as the place to purchase event horses.
“There are several Irish horses competing in eventing at the World Equestrian Games, with three of the six horses competing for the United States being Irish bred, which is phenomenal. We intend to capitalise on this at the Games by trying to encourage American buyers to come over for this sale,” he said.
The Monart sale will be restricted to 66 lots. Sixty have been selected from four regional centres around Ireland with six slots left for up to six wildcard entries between now and the sale.
Martin Donohoe of Goresbridge Horse Sales said Goresbridge were promoting the sale extensively.
“This select sale is a new concept for Ireland and the horses are predominantly traditionally Irish bred which in my opinion is what international buyers are looking for. We will have a stand at the World Equestrian Games and will have catalogues available there for prospective buyers,” he said.
The catalogue of the 60 select lots, as well as video clips of the horses, can be viewed on Goresbridge website at www.irishhorse.com or on www.monartequestrian.com.
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