ISH Studbook tops eventing rankings
FOR the 21st time, the Irish Sport Horse Studbook has topped the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) eventing studbook rankings for the 2016 season on a total points tally of 1,408.
The competition results are compiled between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016.
Since the WBFSH rankings were established in 1994, the Irish Sport Horse Studbook has now taken top spot in the eventing rankings for 21 of the last 22 years.
Contributing to the ranking greatly this year was the 12-year-old gelding Mighty Nice. By Ard Ohio, he was bred by William Kells and previously ridden by Ireland’s Joseph Murphy before being exported to the United States. Now ridden by Philip Dutton, he placed a creditable fourth in the prestigious Rolex Kentucky three-day event last spring.
In 17th position in the individual rankings is Cooley Rorkes Drift, ridden to a ninth place finish at the Rio Games by Irishman Jonty Evans, while Ringwood Skyboy is one place behind in 18th.
British rider Nicola Wilson also had a great season with One Two Many, ranked 25th, while further down the line in individual 27th was Fernhill Fugitive. Bred in Wexford by Maurice Cousins and also ridden for the US by Dutton, the 11-year-old by Lux Z finished in the top 20 at the Rolex. ODT Ghareeb completed the representatives for the Irish Sport Horse Studbook in 33rd position.
The Hannoverian Studbook accounted for second place in the rankings on 1,248 points, while the Holstein Studbook placed third on 1,173.
Sadly, Irish showjumpers continue to struggle to get up the leaderboard and could only manage 13th position this year, having been out of the top 10 since 2012.
Best of this group in individual 57th place is Limestone Grey, a multiple winner this year for Italy’s Lorenzo de Luca.