Since 2005, the Irish Horse Board have run a yearly series of showjumping classes for young horses. The aim of these classes is to promote the Irish Sport Horse in the showjumping arena by showcasing its talent and to support breeders, owners and riders of Irish Sport Horses by providing significant prize money for these classes.

 

The series is split into two age categories – 5 year olds and 6/7 year olds. Horses with the breed codes ISH, RID or ID that are registered in the Irish Horse Register, by a stallion approved in the Main Studbook of the IHR and with sire and dam documented on their passport, are eligible to compete in the IHB Showjumping Classes.

 

In 2005, the series was held at four venues around Ireland. The number of venues increased to seven in 2006. For the 2007 series, the IHB held classes at eight different venues throughout the country. 

At each venue there is a qualifier in each age category. The top twenty horses from the qualifiers go through to the finals. Prize money for these classes is very significant, with €10,000 being on offer at each venue. In addition, the Irish Horse Board offers a breeder’s prize to the breeder of the winner in each final at each venue.

 

The IHB Showjumping Series is run as a league, with the top six horses in each final receiving points in the league. In the 2007 series, any horse and rider combination that has accumulated points over the course of the series was invited to attend the Grand Final. As an additional bonus, the league points were used to award riders’ prizes totalling €4,000 to the top three riders in each age category.

 

The Irish Horse Board believe these classes are an excellent means of showcasing and supporting the Irish Sport Horse as a high calibre showjumping horse. To that end, the IHB Showjumping Classes were used as part of the selection process for horses selected to compete at the FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Horses, Lanaken 2007.