CRUISING | McKINLAIGH | KILBAHA | COOLCORRON COOL DIAMOND | MR MEDICOTT | LENAMORE | FLEXIBLE |
CARLING KING | | SPECIAL ENVOY | ABBERVAIL DREAM | | HIGH KINGDOM | SHEAR L'EAU
Cruising- 1995 Stallion - TIH
Sire: Sea Crest (ID)
Dam; Mullacew (ISH)
Dam Sire: Nordlys (TB)
Breeder; Bord na gCapall, Dublin
Discipline: Showjumping
Cruising was campaigned internationally by Ireland’s Trevor Coyle under 1999. Cruising’s sire Sea Crest was a Grade A Showjumper while dam, Mullacrew, competed with the Irish Army Equitation School. School.
Cruising’s Grand Prix wins include Aachen (1999), Dortmund (1999), Lucerne (1998), San Marino (1996) and Wolfsburg (1996) among numerous others. Cruising became one of Ireland’s greatest showjumpers and subsequently, one of our greatest sires.
Cruising is the only Irish Sport Horse stallion to have a 5* rating for his own Showjumping performance in addition to a 5* rating for his offspring in Eventing and Showjumping. As a sire Cruisings impact on the international circuit in both eventing and showjumping will be felt for many years to come due to his outstanding progeny such as Flexible (USEF horse of the Year 2012), Mr Medicott (USEA Horse of the Year 2012), Mr Cruise Control who topped the British Eventing rankings for 2013, Mo Chroi and so on. Mary McCann’s Hartwell Stud in Kildare was Cruising’s home for his entire lifetime.In 2012 two clones of Cruising were born at Hartwell Stud.
"His intelligence. He is also very athletic, has fabulous technique and is a natural jumper. But the big thing is his mind, he is a very clever horse, he has a great brain. He's a thinker, you can almost see him figuring out the best way round a course." Trevor Coyle (on what makes Cruising special)
McKinlaigh - 1994 gelding - TIH
Sire: Highland Flight (TB)
Dam: Kilcomney Hostess (ISH)
Dam Sire: Stetchworth Lad (TB)
Breeder: Yvonne Walsh, Carlow.
Discipline: Eventing
Rainbow Ranch owner’s Thom Schulz and Laura Coats traveled to Ireland to go horse shopping. When they were shown a young McKinlaigh competing in the 4 and 5 Year Old event horse class at the 1998 Punchestown Three-Day Event they purchased him. The new owners arranged to leave him in Ireland under the tutelage of Scarteen’s Chris Ryan.
In their first two years together McKinlaigh and Miles started out at training level and won 9 of 10 events. The pair won a Bronze medal at the 2003 World Cup Final in Pau, France. At the 2007 Pan-American Games they won individual Bronze and team Gold. In the summer of 2008, McKinlaigh and Gina Miles clinched the individual Silver medal at the Olympic Games in Hong Kong.
McKinlaigh was voted USEA Horse of the year in 2008 and was inducted into USEA Hall of Fame in 2015.
“I really feel like he’s one of the most amazing event horses out there. You always know galloping down to a jump that there’s no doubt that you’re going to go over it,that you’re going to get there on a good stride, that he’s going to get there if there’s a skinny. You almost know what the other one is thinking. I feel so honored to have had him come into my life” Gina Miles
Kilbaha - 1983 Gelding - TIH
Sire:Tudor Rocket (TB)
Dam:Scarlet O’Hara (ISH)
Dam Sire: Rhett Butler (TB)
Breeder: Timothy O’Sullivan, Cork
Discipline: Showjumper
Comdt. John Ledingham rode Kilbaha to win the Hickstead Derby in both 1994 and 1995. Kilbaha had previously been ridden by David O’Regan before being purchased by the Irish Army Equitation School.
Ledingham and Kilbaha formed a solid partnership that saw them competed at major championships including the World Equestrian Games in 1994 & 1998 and the European Championships in 1996 & 1997.
Together they were on winning Nations Cup teams at venues such as Aachen, Calgary, Zagreb, Dublin and Spruce Meadows. Ledingham and Kilbaha also added the Grand Prix to winning the Grand Prix of Altenhof and Drammen to their lifetime achievements.
“Kilbaha was on many winning Nations Cup teams around the world. He was not an indoor horse, he loved big open spaces and Hickstead was tailor-made for him. He was the best horse I’ve ever sat on. He was careful, and you knew if you had a pole it was your fault. He had unbelievable trust in me”. Comdt. John Ledingham
Coolcorron Cool Diamond - 1989 Stallion - TIH
Sire: Glidawn Diamond (ID)
Dam: Bonmahon Belle (ISH)
Dam Sire: Bronti (TB)
Breeder: Francis Fitzgerald, Waterford
Discipline: Showjumping
Owned by the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson Coolcorron Cool Diamond was ridden by Robert Splaine from 1995 until the horse’s retirement in 2009.
The handsome bay and Splaine were Irish National Champions in 2007, when the stallion was 18. Together they regularly represented Ireland on winning Nations Cup including Aachen, Lummen Rotterdam,St. Gallen, Toronto and Washington. Coolcorron Cool Diamond recorded Grand Prix victories at Millstreet CSI-W and St Gallen CSIO5* shows.
At the European Championships in Donaueschingen (Germany) in 2003, the pair contributed to Ireland’s qualification for the 2004 Athens’ Olympic Games. An injury sustained in that very event kept Coolcorron Cool Diamond out of the reckoning for the Olympic Games the following year.
Coolcorron Cool Diamond was and Approved stallion in the Irish Sport Horse and Selle Francais studbooks. His modest number of offspring include international Showjumpers Waterford, Loughnatousa OB. CCI4* event horse Harbour Pilot C and Para-Olympian Mister Cool.
“He was great, brave, careful, honest, intelligent – as good a horse as you would ever want to go to war with.” Robert Splaine
Mr Medicott - 1999 Gelding - TIH
Sire:Cruising (ISH)
Dam: Slievelauchra (ISH)
Dam Sire: Edmund Burke (TB)
Breeder: Dr Donal Geaney, Kerry.
Disciplie: Eventing
Originally named Crag Cave Slievelrachra, Mr Medicott was produced as a 4 Year Old by Francis Connors before beginning his international eventing career with Germany’s Frank Ostholt as a 6 Year Old in 2005. They finished 5th at the FEI WBFSH World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses, in Le Lion d’Angers, the following year. Mr Medicott went on to finish 2nd in his first CCI3* at Boekelo in 2007.
Mr Medicott competed at two Olympic Games finishing 25th with Germany’s Frank Ostholt (GER) in Beijing 2008 and subsequently placing individual 9th at London 2012 with Karen O’Connor (USA). In 2012 Mr Medicott was the Number 1 horse in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horse (WBFSH) individual Eventing rankings, which also helped the Irish Sport Horse Studbook to win the WBFSH Eventing studbook rankings. Following his highly successful 2012 season Mr Medicott was voted United States Eventing Association (USEA) Horse of the Year.
In 2017 the 18 Year Old Mr Medicott finished 4th in the Rolex Kentucky CCI4*, with 3rd place going to fellow traditional Irish Sport Horse High Kingdom (aged 16). At the end of the 2017 eventing season Mr Medicott had competed in 47 FEI competitions, placing in the top five in 20 of those appearances.
In the last decade only three horses have achieved top 10 results at CCI4* level with multiple riders. Mr Medicott is the only horse on the list to have the results spread between three different riders – Frank Ostholt, Karen O’Connor and most recently Phillip Dutton. EquiRatings
Lenamore - 1993 Gelding - TIH
Sire: Sea Crest (ID)
Dam: Karinella (TB)
Dam Sire: Valiyar (TB)
Breeder: Helen Walsh, Kildare
Discipline: Eventing
Ridden by New Zealand’s Caroline Powell, Lenamore holds the record for the number of consecutive Badminton CCI4* completions, at an impressive seven. In total Lenamore successfully completed twelve CCI4* events. Powell and Lenamore represented Team New Zealand at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 and London Olympic Games 2012 where Lenamore and Powell added a team bronze medal to their long list of achievements.
Lenamore became the most successful British Eventer of all time, after being placed fourth at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in 2011 bring his then total to 2203 British Eventing points, surpassing the previous title holder, the traditional Irish sport Horse Spring Along. In 2010 Lenamore, aged 17, won Burghley CCI4* and later that year was awarded the Horse Sport Ireland award for ‘The Competition Horse that Epitomises the Longevity & Durability of the Irish Sport Horse’. Lenamore was retired from eventing at the age of 20 in 2013.
“He’s an amazing little horse and always one that is a delight to watch. It will be strange not watching him bounce around the cross country” Sir Mark Todd (on Lenamore’s retirement)
Flexible - 1996 Stallion - TIH
Sire: Cruising (ISH)
Dam: Flex (ISH)
Dam Sire: Safari (TB)
Breeder: Catherine & Edward Doyle, Kildare
Discipline: Showjumping
Flexibles dam, international showjumper Flex, had just been scanned in foal to the outstanding showjumper Cruising when she competed in a National Championship and beat Cruising, ridden by Trevor Coyle (IRL), by fractions of a second.
Ridden successfully as a young horse by Edward Doyle, then sold to Harry & Molly Chapman in the USA as a 6 Year Old, Flexible went on to make history internationally. Under the guidance of Rich Fellers (USA) Flexible competed in no less than eight FEI World Cup Jumping Finals and won numerous top-level international grand prix competitions.Flexible jumped in his first FEI World Cup Final in Gothenburg in 2008, finishing 2nd to Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly. Four years later he won the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final in the Netherlands at the age of 16, ending a 25-year drought for the USA in the finals.
Several outstanding achievements in 2012 saw the partnership selected as part of Team USA for the London Olympic Games where they finished 8th individually. Later that year Flexible was acclaimed USEF Horse of the Year. The 16 HH Flexible competed at Grand Prix level until the age of 21, retiring in 2017, having accumulated 35 FEI victories in what was an exceptional career. Flexible is an Approved stallion in the Irish Sport Horse Studbook and has a 5* rating for his own Showjumping performance.
“So many wins including the 2012 World Cup Finals. Complete domination of the 2012 Olympic trials and an 8th place finish in London. A fierce competitor who understood the sport. A horse of a lifetime. Bittersweet, but we are proud to have the opportunity at RFS to retire him at the farm he knows and loves. He is happy and sound and will still work every day and be one of the gang.” Rich Fellers
Carling King, 1991 Gelding - TIH
Sire:Clover Hill (ID)
Dam: Gortnageer Star (ISH)
Dam Sire: Chair Lift (TB)
Breeder: Dr Pat Geraghty, Galway.
Disciplie: Showjumping
Under Waterford’s Mike Buckely Carling King won the Five Year Old fina at the 1996 Dublin Horse Show. The following year the pair represented the Irish Sport Horse Studbook at the FEI WBFSH World Breeding Jumping Championships for Young Horses in Belgium.
Carling King was later purchased by Saly Glassman and went on the be ridden by Ireland’s Kevin Babington. Carling King won Team Gold with Ireland at the 2001 European Championships and was a long serving member of Team Ireland recording 11 Nations Cup victories. Carling King went won the Hickstead Grand Prix in 2000, the King George V Cup at Hickstead in 2003. In 2004 Babington and Carling King placed individual fourth at the Athens Olympics Games.
“He was my once in a lifetime partner that many riders only dream of having. We travelled all over the world and jumped at the Olympics, European Championships, World Championships, had numerous Grand Prix victories and he was one of the most successful Nations Cup horses to ever represent Ireland. This horse put me on the map and I will be forever grateful that he came into my life. He was loved and will be missed by many.” Kevin Babington (on the death of Carling King in 2014)
Special Envoy - 1980 Gelding - TIH`
Sire:King of Diamonds (ID)
Dam: Highland Lady 3 (ISH)
Dam Sire: Highland Flight (ID)
Breeder: Mary Hughes, Kilkenny
Discipline: Showjumping
Special Envoy spent his earlier years being produced by Kilkenny’s Marion Hughes before being sold by Marion’s father Seamus Hughes to Nelson Pessoa. The new partnership won the Dublin Grand Prix in 1989 when Pessoa was 54 years of age. He later gave the ride on Special Envoy to his son Rodrigo, who clicked with the horse from their first show together in 1990 (Rome) and came 3rd in the Grand Prix at Aachen. They competed at that year's World Championship, with Rodrigo only 17 Years Old.
In 1992 Rodrigo joined the Brazilian team for the Olympic games in Barcelona and, aged 19, was the youngest rider contesting the Olympic Games. Riding Special Envoy he claimed individual 9th. Rodrigo and Special Envoy accumulated Grand Prix wins in Aachen (1992, 1993, 1994, 1997), Arhus (1994), Geesteren (1997), Geneva (1993), Mechelen (1992), Paris (1993), Wiesbaden (1993) and the Eindhoven Derby (1993). In addition to this Rodrigo and Special Envoy won Team Gold at the 1995 Pan-American Games in Argentina.
“Special Envoy was a remarkable horse, the first horse I mounted in the main GPs, he launched me in the great international circuit. I did my first World Championship with him, my first Olympics. I was lucky to have had many quality horses, but should I have to choose one, it would have to be him, for launching me in the great competitions.” Rodrigo Pessoa
High Kingdom - 2001 Gelding - TIH
Sire; Master Imp (TB)
Dam; High Dolly (ISH)
Dam Sire: Chair Lift (TB)
Breeder; William Micklem, Wicklow.
Discipline: Eventing
High Kingdom, ridden by Zara Tindell (GBR) and owned by Grand National winning owner Trevor Hemmings, has achieved great success internationally over several years. The career highlight coming in 2012 when finishing 8th individually at the London Olympic Games and winning Team Silver. In 2013 the pairing finished 2nd behind another traditional Irish Sport Horse, Mr Cruise Control, at Luhmuhlen CCI4* in Germany. 2014 saw High Kingdom win Team Silver at the World Equestrian Games in Caen, France, placing 10th individually.
Other international achievements include 10th at Burghley CCI4* 2011,5th at Saumur CCI3* 2011, 5th in Burnham Market CIC3* 2012 and 3rd at Bramham CIC3* 2012. In 2017 the 16 Year Old High Kingdom finished 3rd in the Rolex Kentucky CCI4*, with 4th place going to fellow traditional Irish Sport Horse Mr Medicott (aged 18).
At the end of the 2017 season High Kingdom had a total of 35 outings in FEI competitions. High Kingdom is a full brother to Mandiba who competed at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing under USA’s Karen O’Connor.
" High Kingdom gallops like a racehorse, turns like a show jumper, and moves like a dream. He is the complete 21st century event horse, and he is Irish to boot! I wish I could turn back the clock to ride him ." Jimmy Wofford – USA triple Olympian & double silver medalist, and leading trainer.
Abbervail Dream - 1987 Gelding - TIH
Sire:Chair Lift (TB)
Dam: Killea Beauty (ISH)
Dam Sire: Leabeg (ISH)
Breeder: Majorie Quarton, Tipperary
Discipline: Showjumping
Abbervail Dream was bought in 1990 in Ireland by Robert and Dina Verburgt as a 3 year old unbroken liver chestnut gelding from Dr. Noel Cawley. Mac was by the thoroughbred gelding Chair Lift out of Killea Beauty, by Smooth Stepper xx. After he was broken to saddle in Ireland he moved, aged 4, to Di Lampard who started competing him in novice classes and they began a journey which would touch many lives. Di an Mac quickly established a close bond which was to last a lifetime.
In 1993 Abbervail Dream qualified for three young horse finals at the Horse of the Year Show but a collecting ring accident left Di with a broken leg. At the age of 7 he went to Hickstead and won the Queens Cup, that same year jumping his first World Cup at Olympia in London. This marked the start of a highly successful International career during which the combination became the mainstay of the British Team. Di and Abbervail Dream made their debut in the British Team at CSIO Rotterdam when he was eight years old and this was followed by over 40 appearances in the British Team. Abbervail Dream’s last appearance in the ring was at St Gallen CSIO in 2003 in a Nations cup career spanning a decade. This included victories at venues such as Dublin, Hickstead, San Marino and Lummen.
Di Lampard and Abbervail Dream competed in two European Championships (Hickstead & Arnhem) and two World Equestrian Games (Rome & Jerez). At the 1998 World Equestrian Games Lampard and Abbervail Dream won Team Bronze and placed 12th individually. In 1999, readers of the Horse & Hound voted Abbervail Dream “Horse of the Year”. Abbervail Dream was officially retired at Hickstead in 2004.
“Mac was a tough, brave yet careful blood horse with unlimited scope – he was a fighter who excelled in representing Great Britain in nations cups around the World. All of us will treasure our memories of him forever”. Owners Robert and Dina (Matta) Verburgt
Shear L’Eau - 1991 Gelding - TIH
Sire: Stan The Man (TB)
Dam: Starry Night II (ISH)(TIH)
Dam Sire: Carnival Night (TB)
Breeder: Edward Walsh, Clare
Discipline: Eventing
Shear L’Eau, who was sourced in Ireland by Roddy Dean, collected more than 1,400 British Eventing points during his competitive career which began in the Spring of 1998.
Under Leslie Law Shear L’Eau climbed the international ranks with the pinnacle being Individual Gold & Team Silver medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Together they won Team Gold at the European Championships in Punchestown (2003), where they were the only combination to make the time, and Blenheim (2005). The horse’s other competition highlights included two top-10 finishes at Kentucky CCI4* and 5th at Burghley CCI4* in 2003.
Shear L’Eau was the full brother to Shear H2O, who Leslie rode to Team Silver in the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. Died in 2017. Aged 26.
“He was a true horse of a lifetime,” Leslie Law
“He was a wonderful character and he had a lot of personality. Competition-wise, he always showed such quality from a very early age”. Leslie Law
