WHAT a year it has been for Irish Sport Horses in 2022. As I sat down to write my annual international show jumping review of this year this week, with two big five-star shows still to come, it just drove home how much talent we have in both two-legged and four-legged athletes.

You will have to come back next week to read the full review (as well as many other disciplines), but the highlight was undoubtedly the Aga Khan win at the Dublin Horse Show when there were two Irish Sport Horses on the team in Kilkenny and CSF James Kann Cruz. I was at that post press conference in the RDS when the proud breeders – Brennan and Connolly families – got pictures with the Aga Khan; it was truly special to see their joy and pride.

Last weekend, the Connolly family from CSF in Galway would have been on another high following the exceptional performance of the aforementioned James Kann Cruz to finish third in the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva. In a very sporting house with sport on every television, I was watching the class on my phone and jumping up and down as he and Shane Sweetnam came to the last fence. I can only imagine what it felt like for the breeders.

At nine years of age, he finished on the podium in two of the biggest and most prestigious Grands Prix in the world – Dublin and Geneva – as well as winning a five-star Grand Prix in America recently.

Ruth Loney was in Geneva and spoke to Shane afterwards (see international pages 63-64) who is hugely hopeful for a very bright future with the grey who is the talk of the international show jumping scene in 2022. And kudos to Francis Connors and his team who produced him so well in Ireland before he made the step to the top level.

Congratulations too to breeder Anne Marie O’Gorman who’s home-bred LVS Vigo was sold for €1 million at the PSI Auction last weekend. While we often hear of big prices in private sales, it was a proud moment for her, and rider Aoife McCabe who produced the horse until this year, to see that figure out in the open.

Another great week for Irish Sport Horse breeders!