Cooley scales the heights in sport horse rankings
The success of Cooley Cross Border has seen the Irish Sport Horse Studbook top the world studbook rankings for eventing horses, writes
FOLLOWING his win at the Blenheim CCI 3* last month, it was not surprising to see Cooley Cross Border named as the highest Irishbred horse placed in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) Eventing Studbook Rankings for 2017.
Placed overall eighth, the son of Diamond Roller also greatly contributed to the Irish Sport Horse Studbook topping the eventing leaderboard for an incredible 22nd time in the history of these coveted rankings.
Ridden by American Kim Severson throughout his career, the 10-year-old gelding was bred in Louth by Johnny Duffy. He had spent this past summer in Ireland based with Richard Sheane of Cooley Sport Horses who had originally sourced him as a young horse. From their Irish base the US combination picked up several other top-five placings, including those at Millstreet, Camphire and Kilguilkey House.
“It is fantastic for the sire that Cooley Cross Border has done so well,” commented Eugene Sheppard who stands Diamond Roller at Byrnesgrove Stud in Kilkenny, “but as he is not fully approved he sadly does not often get the recognition he deserves.”
A son of the ISH sire High Roller (by Cavalier Royale), Diamond Roller was bred in Co Louth by his current owner John Kearney. Out of the Flagmount Diamond mare, Joe’s Lurgan Lady, his damline goes back to the former Grade A show jumper Special Diamond.
In addition to the Brit- ish-based eventer Purbeck, the Touchdown sire Creevagh Into Touch is from the same immediate family.
From a relatively small number of coverings in the past decade, his eventing progeny also include the up-and-coming Cooley Roller Coaster and Cooley Cross Border’s full-brother, the seven-year-old novice, Midnight Roller Coaster.
Both are out of the Osilvis mare, Who’s Diaz, and her pedigree makes for truly impressive reading.
By the Dutch Warmblood sire Osilvis, she can boast no fewer than six international show jumpers in her family, including Royal Anthem and MHS Automatic, a multiple winner of late for US-based Irish rider Oliver McCarthy.
Formerly owned by the late Ita Brennan, Cape May hails from one of the most successful breeding families of all time and counts the 1.60m show jumpers Royal Athlete and MHS Going Global, and the prolific broodmare Ballypatrick Flight among her closest relatives.
Given the recent success of Cooley Cross Border, Eugene Sheppard is optimistic that the sire will attract a bigger pool of broodmares in 2018.
“During his career Diamond Roller would have covered probably a maximum of 150 mares, but more recently he is starting to get the attention of breeders.
“I really think he will produce some super show jumpers as well in time,” he said.
For a small operation Byrnesgrove Stud has stood some other successful sires in recent years, with Carrick Diamond Lad having spent some 10 years there before returning to his owner Tom Jones in Co Monaghan.
The thoroughbred Riyalan has had plenty of success as a sire since joining Byrnesgrove following his win of the Croker Cup in 2006, as has Cruisings Ambassador, sire of the event horses Fernhill Ambassador, Grey Ambassador and Barnaboy Ambassador, amongst others.
“We only have a small farm here so to have Cooley Cross Border in the news again is just great for business,” Mr Sheppard concluded.
I THINK DIAMOND ROLLER WILL PRODUCE SOME SUPER SHOW JUMPERS IN TIME