EACH year, the Irish Breeders’ Classic has grown and 2024 will be no exception, with an increase of prize money in all the classes and an overall prize fund in excess of €100,000. Now in it’s 13th year, the show is proud to host the world’s richest young horse class.

The prestigious event will take place at Barnadown Showjumping, Gorey, Co Wexford, from Thursday, August 29th to Sunday, September 1st, 2024. The full competition schedule includes the 1.40m Gain/Alltech National Grand Prix Final next Saturday, and the North Star 1.35m Classic on Friday.

The first final to take place on Saturday will be the five/six-year-old non-Irish, followed by the ORHRE four-year-old final, which will be followed by IBC select foal sale, in conjunction with Goresbridge horse sales (see preview on page 73). A foal parade showcasing the foals on offer will take place before the four-year-old final.

The Irish Breeders’ Classic finals for the five/six-year-olds and the seven/eight-year-olds will take place on Sunday. Organisers are delighted to announce that they are in a position to run the Plusvital 1.50m Grand Prix. Full details are available on www.irishbreedersclassic.com. They are thankful to Plusvital, Horse Sport Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as the main sponsors who support this event annually.

Graduates

Shane Sweetnam’s James Kann Cruz and Bertram Allen’s Pacino Amiro are two graduates of the Irish Breeders’ Classic final and were both selected to compete at the Paris Olympics. Over the past 12 years, the competition has gained international recognition, with other past graduates going on to perform at the highest level of the sport, including Kilkenny, MHS Going Global, Limestone Grey, Arrabeg Clover, Killossery Kaiden, Columbcille Gipsy, BBS McGregor and Dawson’s Gold to name but a few.

Speaking about the Irish Breeders’ Classic, Horse Sport Ireland CEO, Denis Duggan, said: “Horse Sport Ireland is delighted to support the Irish Breeders’ Classic as part of our Breeding Grant Scheme, with an allocation of €20,000 towards the prize fund. This is a hugely important breeding competition for breeders of the next generation of our world-class horses. We wish the organising team, and the competitors, the very best of luck as they prepare for the show.”

Last year’s winner, Ger O’Neill said: “I was delighted to win last year. It was a fantastic show for us at Castlefield Breeding Farm and we look forward to this year’s show.”