The Irish Sport Horse Studbook has topped the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) eventing studbook rankings for the 2014 season, which runs from 1st October 2013 to 30th September 2014. Since the WBFSH rankings were established in 1994, the Irish Sport Horse Studbook has taken top spot in the eventing rankings for 19 of the last 21 years. The highest placed Irish Sport Horse in the 2014 rankings, Kilronan (ISH) who finished in ninth place, recorded a fourth place finish at Badminton earlier this year. Ridden by Paul Tapner (AUS), Kilronan (ISH) also competed at the World Equestrian Games 2014 finishing in individual fifteenth. Our second Irish Sport Horse representative in top the twenty is Paulank Brockagh (ISH). The 2014 Badminton winner is also the fifth highest placed eventing mare in the 2014 rankings. Paulank Brockagh (ISH) also represented Team Australia at this year’s World Equestrian Games ridden by Sam Griffiths (AUS). Ranked in twenty-first place, the season highlight for Ballynoe Castle RM (ISH) was finishing third in the Rolex Kentucky CCI 4* in April, improving one place on last year’s fourth. In twenty-second is the winner of the 2014 Rolex Kentucky CCI 4*, Bay My Hero (ISH), who also finished fourth at Burghley with William Fox-Pitt (GBR). Ridden by Australia’s Bill Levett, Improvise (ISH) is ranked twenty-third. Having placed ninth in Luhmuehlen CCI 4* this year, Improvise (ISH) went on to record a sixth place finish at Burghley CCI 4*. Six horses contribute to the final WBFSH Studbook rankings each year. Electric Cruise (ISH) is our sole Irish-ridden representative from those top six horses. Partnered by Joseph Murphy, Electric Cruise (ISH) finished in eighth place at Pau CCI 4*. The combination represented Ireland at the World Equestrian Games 2014 and were members of Irish teams that competed in the FEI Eventing Nations Cup at Ballindenisk and Aachen this year. 2014 has been an incredible year for the Irish Sport Horse in eventing. The recent success of Irish Sport Horses during the KBIS British Eventing Young Horse Championships at Osberton International Horse Trials offers further encouragement.
