By Horse Sport Ireland / HSI
Photography: Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times
The 2023 CCI-5* L in Luhmühlen, Germany took place from June 15 to 18, and saw a stellar entry of Irish Sport Horses take to the field with several making their five-star debut. Of the 41 horses lining up on day one, 10 were Irish Sport Horses.
Overall, 29 horses registered successful finishing scores including every one of the 10 Irish Sport Horses representing four countries: Ireland, Great Britain, the United States of America, and Germany, including five inside the top 12. As with Badminton CCI5*-L in May, the Irish Sport Horse Studbook had more representative horses than any other Studbook, once again highlighting why the Irish Sport Horse was the leading studbook for eventing horses in 2022.
Third place went to Britain’s Yasmin Ingham with the gelding Rehy DJ (ISH) competing in their first CCI5*-L since Pau, France in 2020. Bred by Noel Russell in Kilkee, Co. Clare, the combination of Ingham and Rehy DJ (ISH), by Tinarana’s Inspector (Westf) out of the mare Rehy Misty (ISH) by Big Sink Hope (TB) have represented Great Britain in Nations Cup classes in Aachen (GER), Boekelo (NED), and Chatsworth (GBR), with this placing representing a career best for the partnership.
Oliver Townend and the 15-year-old gelding Swallow Springs (ISH), finished seventh. This son of Chill Out (ISH) proved once again to be a stalwart of Townend’s team, on the back of a second-place finish in the Bicton CCI4*-S, sixth in the Burnham Market CCI4*-S, victory in the 2022 Ainwick CCI4*-S, and third place in the CCI5*-L in Badminton 2022. Swallow Springs was bred in Tuam, Co. Galway by Maria Keating out of the mare Kilila (ISH) by Cult Hero (TB).
Formerly ridden by New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson, Townend took over the ride in 2021 after Nicholson’s retirement with their first outing together leading to a top 10 placing in the CCI4*-L in Blenheim.
Tenth place went to the 13-year-old gelding Black Ice (ISH) ridden for Germany by Jerome Robine. This marked the CCI5*-L debut for this partnership, having had top 10 finishes in CCI4*-S classes Baborowko (POL), and Strzegom (POL), and the CCI4*-L in Lignieres (FRA). They also competed in the Nations Cup at the CCIO4*-NC-S at Haras Le Pin (FRA). Bred by Judith McClelland in Co. Down, Black Ice (ISH) is by Vechta (KWPN) out of Brookhall Lady (ISH) by Touchdown (ISH) and is a brother to the international eventing horses Mill Bay (ISH) by Jupiter Du Thot (SF), and Malcom X (ISH), also by Vechta (KWPN)... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber
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