IRISH Sport Horses have once again proven why they are at the top of the world rankings for eventing, with great success at the 2023 Pan American Games in Quillota, Chile, where they have just taken individual gold and silver medals and played a part in the team medal allocation.

Caroline Pamukcu rode HSH Blake (ISH) to win the individual gold medal for the USA with a final score of 30.8. HSH Blake was bred by Justin Burke of Galway Bay Stud and was produced by Mary Mangan, who got him qualified for the Four-year-old Young Event Horse Series at Dublin Horse Show in 2019. He is an eight-year-old gelding by Tolan R (KWPN) out of Doughiska Lass (ISH) by Kannan (KWPN). Caroline is having a great run of form at the moment, having won the three-star at Maryland with HSH Connor the week before - both horses bearing the Hutchinson Sport Horses prefix.

The individual silver went to Brazil’s Marcio Carvalho Jorge riding another Irish Sport Horse, Castle Howard Casanova, bred by Susan Fitzpatrick from Wicklow and produced by Linda Murphy. Their final score was 32.2. He is a 10-year-old gelding by Womanizer (KWPN) out of K Cavalier Belle (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST).

Another Irish-bred horse, Hot Bobo (ISH), bred by Emma Phelan from Dublin, took individual fourth place with Canada’s Karl Slezak and they were on the gold medal-winning team. Hot Bobo was sold at the Monart Sale and is a 10-year-old gelding by VDL Arkansas (KWPN) out of Taneys Leader (TB) by Supreme Leader (TB).

These horses were not the only Irish-breds to compete at the Pan American Games, with three others finishing in the top 25.

Ballypatrick SRS (ISH), a 12-year-old gelding by Pacino (BWP) out of Ballypatrick Romance (ISH) by Clover Hill (ID), placed 12th. He was bred by Austin Broderick from Tipperary and ridden by Ruy Fonseca (BRA) to finish on a score of 56.7.

In 13th place was Anahuac SDN (ISH)[TIH] (previously named Monbeg Skylore and Parkmore Emper), an 11-year-old gelding by Emperor Augustus (TB) out of Parkmore Crest (ISH)[TIH] by Cruising (ISH)[TIH]. Patrick Wafer bred this horse and he was ridden by Mexico’s Fernando Parroquin Delfin to finish on 64.5.

Balanca SDN (ISH) (previously named Dalestown Castlebar HFS) finished 25th. This 10-year-old gelding by Clover Echo (ISH)[TIH] out of Bornacoola (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST) was bred by Robert Fisk and ridden by Jose Mercado Suarez (MEX) to complete on 139.2.