Minister Coveney Acknowledges Irish Breeding Success at Luhmuhlen
Irish Sport Horse, High Kingdom, ridden by Britain’s Zara Phillips, Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI
THE IRISH Sport Horse Mr Cruise Control saw off some of the world’s top eventing combinations when claiming victory in Luhmuhlen’s CCI4* event in Germany at the weekend, ridden by New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson. Following closely in second was another Irish Sport Horse, High Kingdom, ridden by Britain’s Zara Phillips.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney congratulated the breeders of Mr Cruise Control and High Kingdom and said: “Ireland is a world leader in the breeding of Three Day Event horses. The achievements of Irish Sport Horses at Luhmuhlen at the weekend further cements that position. I want to congratulate all involved. The Sport Horse sector contributes over €700 million to the rural Irish economy each year and provides in excess of 11,000 jobs”
Horse Sport Ireland Chairman Prof Pat Wall said the result at the weekend was a great boost for Irish breeding.
“It is every breeder’s dream to breed a top horse, and to see two Irish Sport Horses in first and second in such a huge competition was brilliant. The breeders and producers of these horses deserve great praise, as they have brought real credit to Ireland,” he said.
Mr Cruise Control (ISH) has been a consistent and reliable competitor for Nicholson since the gelding made his international debut in 2007. Having represented the Irish Sport Horse Studbook at the World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses in both 2007, placing fourth, and 2008, placing 11th, Mr Cruise Control went on to claim wins in international events such as Hartpury CIC3* in 2010 and again in 2011. The recent win in Luhmuhlen brings the total of CCI4* top ten finishes to five. The pair had previously placed fourth in Luhmuhlen CCI4* in 2010.
Bred by Jenny McCann of Hartwell Stud in Co. Kildare, Mr Cruise Control is by the McCann’s resident 5* Approved stallion Cruising (ISH). The dam, Chia (ISH), is by the Approved American Thoroughbred Broussard. Under Horse Sport Ireland’s breeding policy a 5* Eventing stallion is one who has achieved 2 MERs (Minimum Eligibility Requirement) at CCI4* level to achieve the status on his own performance or have two progeny each with 2 MERs at CCI3* level. Based on the progeny performances of Cruising he is rated 5* EV PP and 5* SJ PP.
Second place went to London Olympic Games combination High Kingdom (ISH) and Zara Phillips (GBR). High Kingdom (ISH) was bred by William Micklem, Annacrivey Stud, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow. The 2001 gelding is by Master Imp (TB) and out of the Chair Lift (TB) mare, High Dolly (ISH). Phillips and High Kingdom had already achieved top international results including fifth at Saumur (France) CCI3* 2011, tenth at Burghley (UK) CCI4* 2011, fifth in Burnham Market (UK) CIC3* 2012 and third at Branham (UK) CIC3* in the lead up to their individual eighth placing at the London Olympic Games in 2012 .High Kingdom is owned by Grand National winning owner Trevor Hemmings.
The Irish Sport Horse Studbook, currently lying in first place in the WBFSH eventing Studbook rankings, received a further boost when Rathmoyle King (ISH), Tubber Rebel (ISH), Highland Ford (ISH), Sportsfield Othello (ISH) and Sligo Luckyvalier (ISH) all recorded top 20 finishes.
Category: Eventing, International, News
