Irish Horse Board Breeders Awards 2007

This year for the first time the Irish Horse Board have established an annual Breeders Awards to honour and acknowledge the breeders of top class Irish Sport Horses. Full detailed of award recipients are outlined below.

The Irish Horse Board would like to thank the Breeders Awards Committee for their assistance with the Breeders Awards – Mr. Ned Campion, Mr. Michael Slavin, Mr. Michael Hughes, Mr. Charlie Ripman and Mr. Nicholas Finnerty. The awards ceremony took place on the 14th of November in Athlone, prior to the Irish Horse Board AGM. 

Breeder of the Top International Event Horse:

Mr. William Little, Aughnacloy, Co. Tyrone
Nullabor (ISH) – 1997 brown gelding by Creative Plan (TB) out of Lethal Lass (ISH), by Regal Sting (TB)

Profile:
William Little is the breeder of Nullabor (ISH), the IHB nominated Top International Event Horse 2007. Nullabor (ISH) is currently placed 6th in the FEI WBFSH Eventing rankings and is ridden by Australian event rider, Clayton Fredericks. Nullabor’s commendable results include finishing 3rd in the World Cup Eventing Qualifier at Fontainebleau in France, 5th in the CCI**** at Luhmuhlen in June and 6th at the CCI**** in Burghley this year. William has been breeding horses his entire life, mainly for the show ring. Nullabor was shown up to until a three year old whilst the dam of Nullabor, Lethal Lass (ISH), won the young horse championship in the RDS Horse Show back in the mid 1990’s. William is a regular competitor at both national and international shows. Nullabor’s half brother, Fine Edge (ISH), by Supreme Edge (TB) is currently eventing in England

Breeder of the Top International Showjumping Horse:

Ms. Claire McDonnell, Kilbride, Co. Wicklow
Mo Chroi (ISH) – 1997 grey mare by Cruising (ISH) out of Into The Blue (ISH), by Mister Lord (TB)

Profile:
Claire McDonnell is the breeder of the IHB nominated Top International Showjumping Horse 2007. Mo Chroi (ISH) is currently the top Irish bred horse in the FEI WBFSH Showjumping rankings, lying in 26th place. Mo Chroi is ridden by Army Equitation School officer, Comdt Gerry Flynn. Together they have won numerous top classes at shows abroad including, the 1m50 Grand Prix at Drammen (NOR) CSIO****, the 1m60 Grand Prix at Lisboa (POR) CSIO****, the 1m50 Grand Prix at Dublin (IRL) CSIO***** and the 1m55 Grand Prix at Vimeiro (POR) CSI***. Mo Chroi was also a member of the winning Nations Cup Teams at Poznan (POL), Drammen (NOR) and Linz Ebelsberg (AUT), member of the Nations Cup Team that was 2nd at Lisboa (POR) CSIO**** and Prague (CZE) CSIO****W, member of the Nations Cup Team that was 3rd at Dublin (IRL) CSIO*****, and finally a member of the Nations Cup Team that was 4th at Gijon (ESP) CSIO*****

Breeder of the 5 Year Old IHB Showjumping League Winner:

Mr. Michael Keane Jnr, Boyle, Co. Roscommon
Oakport White Water (ISH) – 2002 grey mare by Cruising (ISH) out of Oakport Penny Diamond (ISH), by Diamond Lad (RID)

Profile:
Michael Keane is the breeder of Oakport White Water (ISH), who won the 5 Year Old IHB Showjumping League 2007. Oakport White Water was produced and is ridden by Andrew Bourns. This mare clocked up several wins throughout the season to win the IHB League title. Oakport White Water also represented the Irish Sport Horse Studbook at the FEI World Showjumping Championships for Young Horses at Lanaken, Belgium in September where she reached the 5 year old final. Michael is a keen horse breeder and produces young horses at his home in Co. Roscommon

Breeder of the 6/7 Year Old IHB Showjumping League Winner:

Ms. Oonagh Mary Hyland, Tuam, Co. Galway
Special Effects (ISH) – 2000 bay colt by Bahrain Cruise (ISH) out of Lady Pam (ISH)

Profile:
Oonagh Mary Hyland bred this year’s winner of the 6/7 Year Old IHB Showjumping League Winner. Special Effects (ISH) won with 26 League points ridden by Olive Clarke. This 7 year old colt was placed a close 2nd in the IHB Grand Final held at Cavan on the 2nd of September. He also represented the Irish Sport Horse Studbook at Lanaken 2007. Oonagh hunts with the Galway Blazers and is also on the hunt committee. She is a keen producer of young horses owning 6 brood mares of her own

Breeder of the 4 Year Old FEHL League Winner:

Mr. Michael Walsh, Lismore, Co. Waterford
Patrickswell Maximus (ISH) – 2003 chestnut gelding by Ricardo Z (ZANG) out of Odin Diamond (ISH), by Odin (TB)

Profile:
Michael Walsh bred the 4 Year Old FEHL League Winner 2007, Patrickswell Maximus (ISH). Ridden by Irish event rider Louise Lyons, Patrickswell Maximus was placed at the British Young Event Horse classes as well as our national classes. Mr. Walsh kindly dedicated his award to both of his parents.

Breeder of the 5 Year Old FEHL Winner:

Mr. Joseph Kelly,
Dance The Tide (ISH) – 2002 chestnut gelding by Marmite D’Or (ISH) out of Moyne Blue (ISH)

Profile:
Joseph Kelly is the breeder of the 5 Year Old FEHL League winner 2007, Dance The Tide (ISH). Joseph has been breeding horses for 20 years. The dam of Dance The Tide, Moyne Blue is now deceased but Joseph has a three year old filly out of her by Sunny Boy (KWPN)

Outstanding Achievement at the WBFSH Young Horse Competition, Lanaken 2007:

Mr. Timothy Kelleher, Macroom, Co. Cork
Colgan Cruise (ISH) – 2002 bay mare by Cruising (ISH) out of Kilcolgan (ISH), by Clover Hill (RID)

Profile:
Tim Kelleher is the breeder of Colgan Cruise (ISH) who finished 4th in the 5 year old final at the FEI World Breeding Jumping Championships for Young Horses. Ridden by Trevor Bartlett (ISH), this gelding clocked up several wins throughout this season along with his creditable placing at the prestigious Belgian event. Tim has been breeding horses for the past 60 years. In the earlier years his breeding lines include, Ben Purple (RID), Silver Mines (ISH), Glen Lad (RID), Arctic Que (TB) and Edmond Burke (TB). In the more recent years along with the help of his son, Noel, Tim’s breeding lines have included Clover Hill (RID), Ballinvella (TB), Touchdown (ISH), Cruising (ISH), Coolcronan Wood (RID), Cougar (ISH) and many more.

Outstanding Achievement at the WBFSH Young Horse Competition, Le Lion d’Angers 2007:

Mr. Noel Cawley, Naas, Co. Kildare
Cast Away (ISH) – 2000 bay gelding by Clover Brigade (ISH) out of Sailing In Rain NC (ISH), by Cruising (ISH)

Profile:
Noel Cawley is the breeder of the winning 7 year old event horse at the WBFSH Young Event Horse Competition held at Le Lion d’Angers. The horse, Cast Away II (ISH), is ridden by Piggy French (Gbr). As well as winning the world young event horse championships, Cast Away also notched up 9 event wins in the UK this year with second and third placings on five other occasions. Noel is a renowned breeder both nationally and internationally. He has been linked to breeding some very prestigious sport horses including the ISH stallion Cougar, Abbervail Dream, who holds the record for Nations Cups appearances for Great Britain, Sail Rain, Mullaghdrin Gold Rain, Solerina and Atomic Mouse. Noel also bred Touchable and Cruising Miss Mena which are successful upcoming young horses notching up wins here and in Canada respectively

Breeder of Top Showing Mare:

Mr. Luke Morley, Claremorris, Co. Mayo
Leader Star (ISH) – 1994 grey mare by I’m A Star (TB) out of Oh Carol (RID), by Pride Of Shaunlara (RID)

Profile:
Luke Morley is the breeder of Leader Star (ISH), the nominated Top Showing Mare 2007. Luke was the Chairman of the Mayo Irish Draught Society for almost 9 years and also held the vice chairman position for the IDHS for a year. In this time he searched for the best part of three years for a top quality Irish Draught mare with good pedigree and subsequently found Oh Carol at the first Irish Draught sales at Tattersalls in 1990. Oh Carol has bred several all Ireland Champions in showing and is the current record holder of breeding two Irish Draught foal Champions consecutively. Leader Star was the first foal out of Oh Carol, and won several shows as a foal herself. In 1996 she won the Limerick Lady Championship and in 1997 she went on to win the Limerick Matron Championship. Leader Star has produced 5 foals to date by sires such as Master Imp (ISH), Jackson’s Drift (TB), Big Sink Hope (TB) and French Buffet (TB). The Master Imp progeny was a Champion at Tullamore show in 1999

Young Breeders:

Senior Section – Ms. Janine Mulgrew, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone

Profile:
Janine Mulgrew won the Senior Section, for the second year running, at the Young Breeders competition held at Gurteen Agricultural College on July 31st 2007. She won with a total point tally of 305 points. Janine hails from Co Tyrone and is very involved in breeding Irish sport horses at her home

Junior Section – Ms. Claudia Felstead, Dunmore, Co. Galway

Profile:
Claudia Felstead won the Junior Section at the Young Breeders competition held at Gurteen Agricultural College on July 31st 2007. She won with a total point tally of 360 points throughout the 5 phases of the competition. Claudia has been very involved in the breeding side of horses in recent years. She showed her mothers yearling by The Artist (ISH), and subsequently qualified for the All Ireland Final for yearlings at Ennis Show. Claudia also showed her own horse in small hunter classes on whom she won several classes on, and competed in potential dressage horse classes during the year

Outstanding Contribution Award 2007:

Mr. Loftus O’Neill, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow

Profile:
Loftus O’Neill is nominated for his outstanding contribution to the Irish Sport Horse Industry. He hails from Slyguff Stud in Co. Carlow. Slyguff Stud has been in operation for three generations. Their first stallion was True Boy, the maternal sire of King Of Diamonds (RID). Slyguff Stud also stood Highland Flight (TB), a thoroughbred who was a world renowned jumping sire in the 1960’s and 70’s.

King Of Diamonds (RID) was born at Slyguff Stud in 1962. He competed on the showjumping circuit as a 4 year old and briefly when he was an 11 year old. He reached Grade B at that time, but he proved to be a world famous sire of showjumpers. In 1980 An Post published postage stamps with a painting of him on it.

The O’Neill family stood many famous stallions including Imperius (TB), sire of Slyguff (ISH) who was bred by the O’Neill family and was placed at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games as an individual. Master Imp (TB), by Imperius (TB), has produced numerous show horses including ZIN ZAN, Imperial Way, Bagnelstown Imp, and international showjumper Lismakin (ISH) competed by Capt Shane Carey. Master Imp has also sired many event horses who are mainly competing in England and America.

Kings Master (ISH) by Master Imp, has already produced the RDS Supreme Ridden Hunter Champion Connswater River. Kings Marshall who won the 4 year old final at the FEHL in 2005 and competed at world young event horse championships at Le Lion d’Angers, France in 2007. Golden Master (TB) by Master Imp, Slyguff Stud’s second season sire includes traditional Irish pedigree. He is out of Marand (TB) by Prefairy (TB) out of a thoroughbred mare by Autumn Gold, who won the Croker Cup in 1964.

Highland King (ISH), who sadly passed away in 2005, was by Highland Flight (TB) out of Ashling, by King Of Diamonds (RID). He was the sire of Ballincoola (ISH), top event horse ridden by Great Briton William Fox Pitt. Ballincoola won the Burghley CCI**** in 2005 and has been placed twice in the top six in 2006 and 2007. McKinlaigh (ISH) also sired by Highland King has been ranked 3rd in the WBFSH world rankings.

Slyguff Stud has produced some of our best Irish bred stallions in the history of Irish equestrian sport and the IHB were delighted to present Loftus O’Neill with this Outstanding Contribution award

The IHB were also delighted to acknowledge the superb performance of the Irish Sport Horse Studbook at the FEI World Breeding Jumping Championships for Young Horses. This competition took place in September at the Zangershiede in Lanaken, Belgium and is considered the most prestigious of young horse showjumping championships. The Irish Sport Horse Studbook performed tremendously and had two Irish Sport Horses placed in the finals. For finishing in 4th place in the 5 Year Old Final at Lanaken with Colgan Cruise (ISH), Trevor Bartlett (Irl) was presented with a cheque from the IHB for €7,000. Linda Courtney (Irl) and H Two (ISH) finished in 6th place in the 6 Year Old Final, and received a cheque for €5,000 from the IHB.

FEI World Breeding Jumping Championship for Young Horses 2007:

5 Year Old Final:
4th Colgan Cruise (ISH) – 2002 bay mare by Cruising (ISH) out of Kilcolgan (ISH), by Clover Hill (RID). Bred by Timothy Kelleher, Coolcaum, Kilnamartyra, Macroom, Co. Cork. Owner/Rider: Trevor Bartlett (Irl)

6 Year Old Final:
6th H Two (ISH) – 2001 black gelding by Cavalier Royale (HOLST) out of Cloughjordan Imp (WNTR), by Cloughjordan Boy VII. Bred by Leo Rice, Main Street, Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan. Owner/Rider: Linda Courtney (Irl)