IT took the veteran Vanir Kamira’s fairytale Burghley win to break the five-star winning streak recorded earlier this year by the German-breds fischerChipmunk FRH, London 52 and Colero at Kentucky, Badminton and Luhmühlen.

Only the second mare to win Burghley in this millenium, Vanir Kamira also makes the record books as one of the few horses to achieve a rare Badminton-Burghley double.

And joining her for a unique Irish-bred one-two on the leaderboard at Burghley, regarded as the toughest five-star of just seven such events held around the world, is the exciting youngster Capels Hollow Drift.

The Clare-bred 11-year-old rocketed up the leaderboard to not only take second place and the highest-placed first-timer award but to also make a strong case for his inclusion in future British teams.

Completing an Irish-bred trio in the top-10 was the traditionally bred Alfie’s Clover (seventh). Like the winner, he and Vanir Kamira have both posted top-10 results this year at Badminton and Burghley, while Capels Hollow Drift signalled his arrival on the five-star scene, with 16th place at Badminton in May.

Both the top-two are a combination of continental sires crossed with Irish Draught-thoroughbred lines, while Alfie’s Clover is traditionally bred.

Vanir Kamira is by the Chellano Z-sired Camiro de Haar Z out of Fair Caledonian, by the Belgian-bred thoroughbred Dixi. The mare made the move to Monaghan from Scotland with Kate Jackson in 1996. Kate now lives in Wiltshire with husband Al and although she has retired from horse-breeding, follows Vanir Kamira’s career with great pride.

Likewise with Jenny Glynn and the Hickey family. Capels Hollow Drift is the latest West Clare event horse success story and is by Shannondale Stud’s Darco son Shannondale Sarco out of the Lucky Gift mare Lucky Crest, who Jenny lost just last year. Jenny, who works part-time at Kilrush Community School, still has an Ascalon half-sister to Capels Hollow Drift.

Tom Jackson (GBR) and Capels Hollow Drift (ISH), bred by West Clare's Jenny Glynn, finished second at five-star Burghley Horse Trials 2022 \ Nigel Goddard

The Hickey family, who farm “at the foot of the Comeragh mountains, between Dungarvan and Clonmel,” are yet more breeders to closely follow their Burghley star’s career. Alfie’s Clover is by the thoroughbred Tajraasi (later bought by Richard Jones and Tom French to stand in England), out of the Clover Hill-Hail Station mare Aoife’s Clover.

ISH studbook boost

The trio’s excellent results will also boost the Irish Sport Horse studbook title race bid. At the time of writing, the studbook holds the lead in both the Hippomundo and July results of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) eventing rankings.

Five more Irish-breds filled the Burghley top-20, including CHF Cooliser (12th. Womanizer - Super Spring, by Ramiro B. Breeder: Raymond Carroll); Oughterard Cooley (13th. Puissance - Oughterard Sky Cruise, by Cruising. Breeder: Gerard Lynch); Maja’s Hope (16th. Porter Rhodes - Brown Sue, by Flagmount King. Breeder: Jack Murphy); Bango (17th. Garrison Royal - No Sale, by Don Tristan. Breeder: James Foley) and HHS Noble Call (19th. Heritage Fortuna - Noblina, by Cavalier Royale. Breeder: Anne Hughes).