THE world’s richest young horse class, the Irish Breeders’ Classic, was launched this week in Barnadown, Co Wexford, and combined with the Avonmore Summer Classic at nearby River Lodge Equestrian, the two shows are offering a prize fund of over €100,000 within one week on Irish soil.

The ‘Irish Classics Tour’ is a joint initiative between the Irish Breeders’ Classic (IBC) and the Avonmore Summer Classic to attract international riders to Ireland, should government guidelines surrounding Covid-19 allow overseas visitors at that stage, and provide back-to-back weekends of quality sport in Co Wexford.

Now in its ninth year, the IBC will take place from August 29th to 30th and will play host to the prestigious young horse classes with a total prize fund of €70,000 on offer. Championship course designer Alan Wade will design the courses, which include a 1.40m and 1.50m Grand Prix.

Sponsors GAIN Equine Nutrition, Alltech, and Horse Sport Ireland were joined by 2019 IBC winner Ger O’Neill at the official launch of the event in Barnadown on Thursday. O’Neill said the event is of major importance to the national circuit. “The Irish Breeders’ Classic has become a centrepiece in the Irish show jumping calendar. This is a very important showcase for young Irish-bred horses where many of the winners have gone on to represent Ireland at the World Breeding Championship at Lanaken each year.

“I am lucky enough to have won the IBC twice. The first time was in 2017 with Columbcille Gipsy who also went on to win the gold medal at Lanaken that year. Dawson’s Gold who I won on in 2019 was sold to Rich Fellers and he has dominated this year’s six-year-old division of the Desert Circuit in USA.”

The IBC was set up in 2012 and was the brainchild of Ronan Rothwell, whose dream was to showcase Irish-bred horses and attract new investors to the sport. Due to business commitments, Ronan has stepped aside this year and there is now a new committee in place.

Over the past nine years, the competition has gained international recognition with the past graduates going on to perform at the highest level of the sport. Past winners to win a medal at the World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken include Arraghbeg Clover (gold, 2013), and Columbcille Gipsy (gold, 2017).

The full competition schedule includes a 1.40m National Grand Prix on Saturday and a 1.50m Grand Prix on Sunday. The finals for the five- and six-year-old and the seven/eight-year-old IBC take place on Sunday, and there will be a four-year-old final on Friday. The popular IBC Select Foal Sale returns on Saturday and there will be three-year-old loose jumping.

Commenting on their sponsorship, Joanne Hurley of Gain Equine Nutrition said: “Gain Equine Nutrition are delighted to be supporting the Irish Breeders’ Classic in conjunction with Alltech this year. This has been a hugely successful event over the past number of years and we are really looking forward to this year’s renewal showcasing the very best of Irish-bred young horses. The Irish market is very important and we feel that this collaboration reinforces our commitment to the show jumping sector.”

Speaking on behalf of Alltech, Neil Keane, commercial director, added: “Alltech is delighted to be partnering with Gain Equine Nutrition to support the Irish Breeders’ Classic for the third year running. Alltech’s range of nutritional ingredients have been included in Gain Equine Nutrition feeds for over 30 years. This sponsorship showcases our partnership and continues our support of making the Irish equine industry a success.”

Horse Sport Ireland CEO, Ronan Murphy, said: “Horse Sport Ireland are delighted to once again support the Irish Breeders’ Classic in 2020. It presents an excellent platform to promote Ireland’s leading young show jumping horses and has grown in popularity and importance each year.”

Just 45 minutes away from Barnadown, the finals of the Avonmore Summer Classic will take place on August 21st and 22nd at River Lodge Equestrian. The brainchild of riders Michelle Kenny and Rafael Sanctuary, and in its second year, entries are now open for the qualifying rounds which begin on July 23rd.

The tour boosts a prize fund of €35,000 and a lucrative leading rider prize of a custom CWD Classic saddle.

See page 99 for full details on the Avonmore Summer Classic.