Kilkenny bred horse delivers standout display on big stage for Ireland

The international season has already delivered a series of standout results for Irish-bred horses and Irish combinations, and this weekend proved no exception, with success recorded across eventing and show jumping at some of the sport’s most competitive fixtures.

At the Defender Bramham Horse Trials, It’s Cooley Time (ISH) claimed victory in the Defender CCI4*-L under Great Britain’s Bubby Upton. Bred by Andrew Hughes of Ennisnag Stud in Co Kilkenny, the 2015 gelding produced a superb performance to secure one of the most significant four-star titles on the eventing calendar, finishing on a score of 27.8.

It was a Cooley Farms one-two at Bramham, with Cooley Snapchat (ISH) finishing second also under a British jockey in Selina Milnes. The result further underlined the strength of Irish-bred event horses at the highest level, with both horses demonstrating the quality, stamina and competitiveness required for success at one of the UK’s most demanding CCI4*-L events.

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Aoife Clark was the highest-placed Irish rider in the Defender CCI4*-L, finishing fourth with Full Monty de Lacense. In the Defender CCI4*-S, Joseph Murphy and Calmaro, owned by Mrs Annette O’Callaghan and Mr Alan Bell, were the best-placed Irish combination, finishing eighth.

In the Wetherby Skips Grand Prix jumping competition, also held a Bramham Horse Trials, Ireland’s Richard Howley and Caprice D’elle took the top honours in the closing afternoon’s feature class.

Irish breeding was also at the forefront in France, where ESI Rocky (ISH) and Monaco’s Anastasia Nielsen won the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of St Tropez following a head-to-head jump-off. Only two combinations found the answer to a demanding first-round track, with Nielsen and ‘Rocky’ delivering one of the standout performances of the season to date to secure the coveted victory.

Bred by Andrew and Niall Hughes at Ennisnag Stud in Co Kilkenny, ESI Rocky was produced by Seamus Hughes Kennedy from a three-year-old through to five-star level. His career has included appearances in the Aga Khan and at European Championship level, and he continues to fly the flag for Irish breeders and producers on the world stage.

EIC Up Too Jacco Blue (ISH) also added to the Irish-bred success in the South of France, securing third place with Austria’s Max Kühner after narrowly missing out on the jump-off.

At La Baule, Cian O’Connor and Chatolinue PS delivered a superb performance to finish fourth in the prestigious CSIO5* Rolex Grand Prix Ville de La Baule. Fellow Irish rider Bertram Allen finished inside the top five, taking fifth place with Qonquest de Rigo from a strong class of 45 starters.

Across the Atlantic, Daniel Coyle continued his excellent form at Spruce Meadows, Calgary, placing third with Farrel in the CSI5* RBC Grand Prix of Canada, presented by Rolex. Coyle and Farrel jumped clear in the first round before finishing with one fence down in the jump-off to secure a place on the podium.

The result followed Coyle’s sensational form earlier in the week, when he claimed first and second in the CSI5* Recon Metal Cup 1.55m at Spruce Meadows with Farrel and Urville Z respectively.

In Poland, Billy Twomey and Ace of Hearts Z claimed the feature class on Sunday at Sopot, winning the CSIO4* Lotto Grand Prix under the patronage of Wirtualna Polska.

The Grand Prix victory followed Team Ireland’s CSIO4* Nations Cup win on Friday, where the competition went down to a jump-off after Ireland and Argentina finished level on eight faults. Ireland ultimately took victory ahead of Argentina in second and Japan in third.

Twomey was joined on the winning team by Shane Breen with Scarteen, Alexander Butler with Ti Amo B Z and Max Wachman with Fancy de Kergane, completing a memorable weekend for Irish show jumping in Sopot.

The weekend added further momentum to what has already been a highly successful international season for Irish horses and riders. Across both eventing and show jumping, the results once again highlighted the strength of Irish breeding, production and performance on the world stage.