By Horse Sport Ireland / HSI
Photography: © Irish Eventing Times; Sportfot
At the time of writing, the Irish Sport Horse Studbook leads the provisional WBFSH eventing breeder rankings (last updated in May 2024), and one of the horses selected by the Horse Sport Ireland Eventing High-Performance Director Dag Albert for the XXXIII Olympiad represents the Irish Sport Horse Studbook.
That mare, Action Lady M (ISH), a 10-year-old mare by Plot Blue (KWPN) out of Action G (ISH) by Acorado (Holst), was bred by Susanne Macken in Co. Meath and is ridden by Sarah Ennis. The pair has had three outings internationally in 2024 and has finished inside the top 10 at all three. They finished tenth in both the CCI4*-S in Bicton (GBR), and Kronenberg (NED), while finishing on the podium in third place in Ballindenisk (IRL).
The alternates for the squad include the Irish Sport Horse representatives, Ballyvillane OBOS, a 2013 gelding by OBOS Quality 004 (Oldbg) out of Gleesons Coolcorran (ISH) by Young Convinced xx (TB), bred by Tim Gleeson in Co Tipperary and ridden by Robbie Kearns.
This combination has also had three outings so far in 2024 which included a debut at CCI5*-L level in Luhmühlen (GER) and being a member of the historic Irish team that won their first eventing Nations Cup in the CCI4*-NC-S in Millstreet (IRL).
Championship veteran Sam Watson is also on the list of alternates with his CCI4*-L winner from Millstreet (IRL) Ballyneety Rocketman (ISH)[TIH]. This traditionally bred 2014 bay gelding by Diamond Discovery xx (USA) is out of Ballyneety Macrocket (ISH)[TIH] by Errigal Flight (ISH)[TIH]. Watson is no stranger to the pressures of Olympic competition having represented Ireland in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games held in 2021. He will certainly be ready to step into the breach should he be called upon with this gelding, bred by James Hickey in Co Limerick, on the back of not only their victory in Millstreet, but also their fifth-place finish in the CCI4*-S in Ballindenisk (IRL) earlier in 2024... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber
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