Irish Event Horse Owners & Breeders

02/08/2024

𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞!

Eventing Ireland are delighted to announce the launch of the first ever Traditional Irish Horse (TIH) Eventing League, which will play a major role in the ongoing commitment to promote and support Irish breeding in the sport. 2024 has seen over 120 Traditional Irish Horses leave the start box in Ireland – that’s nearly 10% of all starters so far this year.

In an even bigger coup for the breeders, owners and riders of TIHs, Decron Horse Care Pty Ltd , a leading global brand in hoof, leg and wound care, have pledged their support to the league.

The Decron Horse Care TIH Eventing League will function on a points system, compiled by EquiRatings, and is open to TIHs entered across all levels in national events. Combinations can move through the levels, and the top 6 placings throughout the season will count towards the league, with the league culminating at the 2024 National Championships at Kilguilkey House, Mallow on 7-8 September. Horses must be noted as TIH on their passport to be eligible.

In recognition of the importance of the role played by breeders and owners of the TIH, Decron Horse Care Pty Ltd will provide prizes to:

Highest Placed TIH worth €150
Highest Placed TIH Mare worth €150
Highest Placed Youth Ridden TIH worth €150
Owner Of Highest Placed TIH worth €150
Breeder of the Highest Placed TIH worth €150

Decron Horse Care Managing Director, Merv Butterworth, stated, ‘This opportunity to sponsor The Decron Horse Care Traditional Irish Horse Eventing League offers us a terrific partnership to launch this new TIH initiative with Eventing Ireland and is more than exciting. Given that this is the first time we have had such an opportunity to promote and expose our Decron products to the participants of the TIH Eventing Ireland League, we wish all participants the very best of good luck at the National Championships’.

Eventing Ireland chairman, Niki Potterton, added, “We are delighted to have Decron sponsor our first ever Traditional Irish Horse league. The TIH is iconic and world renowned, so to recognise the breed, the breeders and the owners is a great step forward.”

About Decron Horse Care: Decron Horse Care has supported horse lovers, vets and farriers for over 16 years. Their staff and suppliers have worked with the best trainers, drivers, farriers and vets in Australia, New Zealand, UK, Middle East and USA, to develop outstanding products, leading the way in horse care. Some of their headline products include Decron Osmotic Gel, Decron Leg Wrap Poultice, Decron Hoof Poultice Boot. These products offer fast and effective healing to reduce swelling and inflammation in your horse’s leg or hoof. The products are easy to use and fast to act, ensuring that your horse is back on track quicker. Both the Decron Osmotic Gel and Decron Leg Wrap Poultice use all Natural Ingredients.

For more information on Decron Horsecare, visit www.horsecare.com.au

View the league standings on the EI Stats Centre!

28/07/2024

Front crawl for Freelance

Breeder Sharon Hallahan

Owner/Rider Aoife Clark

Photo Courtesy Irish Eventing Times

Talking to most breeders, its only a dream to be able to say 'I Bred a Olympic Horse' well that dream became a reality for breeder Sharon Hallahan. I was delighted to catch up with Sharon this week to have a chat about Sportsfield Freelance.

With the Irish team now officially on the scoreboard, I was delighted to talk to the breeder of SBS Freelance now known as Sportsfield Freelance, stable name Penny.

Sharon Hallahan of Silver birch Stables, Co Waterford claims it has always been their intention to breed good quality all-rounders. Pennys Dam the (ISH) Kilmona Mizen stable name Mona was purchased from a livery they had on the yard, she was strong willed determined mare, we once found her the other side of the small river that runs through her field with her foal Penny, I guess from then water was never going to be an issue for Penny when Eventing. Unfortunately, Mona only had the one foal. Kilmona Mizen x Fresh Breeze x Edmund Burke was only a handy mare standing round the 16h, but a stocky build was never broken, and had no history of competition.

Sharon stood her own-coloured stallion SBS Da Vinci x The Artist x Celtic Legend, who jumped himself to 1,10m. A prolific winner in the show ring, Da’Vinci also sired the winner of the Coloured Horses in the 2019 Dublin Horse Show with SBS Touch Of Colour, then again in 2022 when he sired the winner of Dublin Horse Show Coloured horse class with SBS Da Vinci’s Masterpiece both horses were bred and ridden by Sharon.’ We never really followed Eventing, but being the all-round sire that De’vinci was, it comes as no surprise that he sired a number of Event horses, including SBS Monalisa who competed up to EI105 with Amateur rider Anthony Kenna, and SBS Tailor who was sold to Swedish rider Louise Vetterlov. We then found that coloured horses had gone out of ‘fashion’, so we made the decision to have Da’Vinci gelded, Isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing!”

We name all our foals with our prefix SBS, we named Penny SBS Freelance, its important as breeders that the horses have our prefix, so it’s a little disappointing that other federations allow the names to be changed with out the permission of the breeder. This can make it hard to follow the horse at times. I know there has been much talk about this recently so I hope something can be done in the future to protect the breeder’s prefix.

It was then, as a yearling, when our friend Jane Hearne came to use the gallops, she saw Penny take off across the field ‘whats that?’ Jane couldn’t pass her buy. She liked the look of her and bought her there and then. Jane kept Penny as a secret for 6months. ‘I had just had a baby, and Penny kept me sane, but if my husband had known, I would have been Divorced!’

Once home and officially part of the family, Jane remembers coming out to Pennys field to find her gone. ‘I looked everywhere, then I saw her in the distance. Penny once again showed her bravery and love of different terrain when crossing a river to the neighbour’s farm, she must just love water!’

Jane produced Penny on through to the Wexford Equestrian Stepping stones league. She finished 3rd in the overall 5yr league. She was one of only 5 clears, and the only 5yo in the RDS Small Event horse class, missing out by only 0.5 of a mark, before being sold to the Powers where her career started with Ciara before Amateur rider Sharron Power took up the reins to gain many placings including:

***2019***

1st EI100 Amateur Lisgarvan House

1st EI100 Amateur Crecora

1st EI100 Amateur Clyda

1st EI110 EquiReel Amateur

2nd EI110 Amateur Ballindenisk

2nd EI110 Amateur National Championships

***2020***

2nd EI110 Amateur Crecora

2nd EI110 Amateur Ballindenisk

1st EI110 Amateur Kilguilkey House

2nd EI110 Amateur Crecora

1st EI115 Knight Frank Estate Agents Grove

Penny was then sold to Aoife her current Olympic rider in 2021, the combination took off galloping with placings that included

***2021***

3rd EI115 Aston-Le-Walls

6th CCI3* Tweseldown

4th CCI3*S Cornbury House

***2022***

3rd CCI3*L Millstreet International

***2024***

4th CCI4*L Saumur

2nd EI120 Aston Le Walls

We still can’t believe we can call ourselves ‘Breeders of an Olympic Horse’ we can not wait to watch Penny and Aoife this weekend and will be cheering them on alongside Da’Vinci who at the age of 17 is still living on our stud in Wexford.

Wishing Aoife, Sportsfiled Freelance and Team the very best of luck.

27/07/2024

Ready, Steady, Action Lady M

I was delighted to catch up with Breeder/Owner Susanne Macken this week, to talk about the homebred Action Lady M road to the Olympics.

Photo courtesy of Irish Eventing Times

**Action Lady M**

Breeder: Susanne Macken

Owner: Andy Cox & Susanne Macken



With the Olympic Eventing underway, it was lovely to chat with Susanne Macken about Action Lady M, stable name Lottie, and how this 'feisty' but kind mare made it from homebred to the 2024 Olympic Team with Sarah Ennis.

Lottie started her life at Susanne's yard in Meath, out of the 1.50m Show Jumping mare Action G 2 x Acorado I x Rebel I Z, by the international superstar Plot Blue. With such strong showjumping lines, I was keen to find out how Andy and Susanne became owners of an Olympic event horse.

Susanne explained that all the horses in the yard started as 2-year-olds. They start with basic handling, including loading into transport. “I find it easier when the horses aren’t too strong; it helps to keep manners on them. Who wants to be pushed over by a big, strong 3- or 4-year-old?”

All the horses are broken by Thomas Tuite, whom Susanne had much praise for. “A real Horse Man,” Thomas gets the young horses going forward, and at 3 to 4 years, the horses are all cross-country schooled. This is a huge part of their education, Susanne explained; it makes the horses brave and forward to a fence.

Part of what makes a good event horse is the ability to cross ground in all terrain. As a passionate hunting fanatic, Susanne credits the hunting field for Lottie’s ability to go cross-country, explaining this was part of her young horse education before she came in to start her career as a competition horse.

At 6 years old, it was decided that Lottie wasn’t going to make a show jumper, so Susanne made the decision to swap career paths and aim Lottie for the Eventing circuit with Sarah Ennis, who had competed her half-brother Action Man M before he was sold to the UK.

Described as 'feisty' with a 'hardy, willing character,' Sarah and Lottie just CLICKED, although the mare was nearly sold early in her career to Hong Kong.

Then, with Lottie due to be sold to the US, Lottie and Sarah headed out to Le Lion d'Angers CCI3*L, which is where everything changed, explained Susanne. A fantastic week, with great horses, great weather, and even better wine gave Andy Cox, Susanne's partner, the Eventing bug. That was it; Andy enjoyed watching Lottie so much he was hooked. He had always loved Lottie and was very involved with her from her early days so now found himself partnered with two feisty mares: Action Lady M and Susanne.

Sarah and Lottie started to make their mark on the Eventing circuit, with wins and placings including:

**2021**

1st EI115 Hillcrest

2nd ISH Young Eventing Series EI115 (7&8YR) Castle Irvine, Necarne

2nd 3*S Connolly Red Mills, Millstreet International

**2022**

1st EI120 Castle Irvine Necarne 1

4th CCI4*S Connolly’s Red Mills, Millstreet International

1st EI120 Ballindenisk 2

6th CCI4*S (8 and 9yo) Blenheim

**2023**

1st EI120 Grove

**2024**

1st EI115 Lincolnshire

3rd CCI4*S Nutri Science, Ballindenisk International

These are just some of their many successes together.

"We love to watch Lottie. We find the Eventing fun; it’s a full team effort. We have our full faith in Sarah and the team. The horses in Sarah’s yard want for nothing. She’s a fantastic rider and exceptional at cross-country; her attention to detail is second to none."

It was at Aachen in 2023 when Susanne and Andy watched how far Lottie had come in her dressage, followed up with a super cross-country round. "I realised then that Lottie could be an Olympic horse. She had all the traits of an Event horse: good walk, great canter, loved cross-country, and we knew she could jump 1.40. She has the right attitude and loves her work."

So here we are, only 4 days before the main event, and never have I spoken to someone who seemed so laid back and relaxed about heading out to the Olympics, not only as an owner but as a breeder. Maybe it’s the trust she has in the team or that Susanne knows Lottie is tough, physically and mentally.

So, what's next after the Olympics... Watch this space.

Best of luck to Susanne, Andy, Sarah, and, of course, Lottie.

05/07/2024

What a fantastic weekend we had at Seamalease Kilguilkey House Intl 1l! Here are some highlights:

In the Equi Kingdom 4*L

Winner: UK's Emily Young Jamleson on her ISH OBOS Nidge (2013 OBOS Quality x Kilcassey Lady x Clover Hill), owned and bred by Marie O'Brien.
2nd Place: Patrick Whelan representing Ireland with his Irish Sport Horse Altitu (2015 Gelding by Orestus VDL x Happy Choice x Aram), owned by Patrick and bred by Seamus Carew.
Special mention to Dominic Furnell, who finished 7th with the only Traditional Irish Horse in the 4*, Ivanhoe (2015 Gelding by Wonderwall (TB) x Amazon Cruise (ISH) x Cruising), owned and bred by Dermott O'Brien and Thomas Jones.

Have a great weekend

01/06/2024

WELCOME to Millstreet International Horse Trials, we are looking forward to greeting all IEHOBA members old and new at the hospitality area located behind fences 6+7 in the middle of the fantastic XC.

28/05/2024

With less than 24 hours until Millstreet International, the IEHOBA is thrilled to be back for the second of the Irish Internationals. We will be there from Friday, May 31st, until Sunday, June 2nd. We warmly invite all members, as well as anyone interested in joining, to come along. Enjoy some light refreshments and take a break after a brisk course walk. We look forward to seeing you there!

20/05/2024

We're delighted to announce that the IEHOBA hospitality area will once again be available at the upcoming Millstreet International Horse Trials. We warmly welcome all existing IEHOBA members to join us for some light refresments and good company. Its also a great opportunity for new members to sign up.
If you would like to become a member please click

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17/05/2024

We were thrilled to see so many of you at the official launch of the Irish Event Horse Owners and Breeders Association (IEHOBA) at Ballindenisk International 1. The launch marked a significant milestone in our journey to celebrate and promote the excellence of the Irish Event Horse and recognise the achievements and contributions of owners and breeders, on both national and international platforms.
The IEHOBA aims to bring together Breeders, Owners and enthusiasts who share a passion for the Irish Event Horse. The IEHOBA will serve as a hub for the collaboration and exchange of knowledge amongst its members.
As we embark on this exciting venture, we invite all those involved in the breeding and ownership of Irish Event horses to join us at the six home Irish internationals, together with the Eventing Ireland National Championships (7-8 September).
To become a member, please sign up at https://itsplainsailing.com/org/iehoba
Alternatively, you can sign up by scanning the QR code below using your phone’s camera app.

As a member you will receive an ‘E’ membership card which can be used to avail of discounts from partner companies.
We look forward to welcoming you to the IEHOBA and to seeing you at Millstreet International 30th May-2nd June