Some of the best young eventing horses in the world came forward to compete at this year’s edition of the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships for Young Horses. A British-bred son of the legendary Chilli Morning and a Holsteiner mare by I’m Special de Muze took the seven- and six-year-old titles at this prestigious eventing championships which took place at the 39th edition at Le Lion d’Angers (FRA) this week.
British combinations took the gold and silver medals in the seven-year-old class with Chilli Morning IV and Gemma Stevens (GBR) finishing on his dressage score of 26.2 and the British-bred Anglo European horse Kantango – sired by Tangelo and ridden by Kitty King – taking second place on his dressage score of 27.9. The bronze medal went to Mr Cookie Time and Samantha Lissington (NZL).
In the six-year-old class, Killer Queen lived up to her name and won the championship with Merel Blom-Hulsman (NED). The eye-catching mare by this popular sire finished on their dressage score of 25.1, while Norway van De Haar, a KWPN gelding by High Shutterfly, took the runner-up spot with Max Warburton (GBR) on their dressage score of 28.8. Sweden’s Anna Freskgard and Clawfinger – another I’m Special de Muze progeny – took the bronze.
(Ed note: Canada’s eventing chef d’equipe at the Paris Olympics, Rebecca Howard, who is based in England, competed a horse in this category, riding the ISH gelding Dolmen Cooley (Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet x Dolmen Dimension), owned by Cameron Crawford, to 18th place in the field of 45.)
Rebecca Howard and Dolmen Cooley in the trot-up. (Irish Horse Board photo)
The cross-country turned out to be a true test of stamina and bravery. A combination of large crowds and a beautifully presented but cleverly designed course made for exciting sport on Saturday. Stevens jumped a foot-perfect double clear with Chilli Morning IV to win the seven-year-old title, and was excited to be at the event on another talented progeny of Chilli Morning, who won Badminton (GBR) and competed in the Rio Olympics with William Fox-Pitt (GBR).
“I am unbelievably proud to be crowned World Champion. This has been our goal and aim with him since he started his programme. We have produced him right from the start, which makes it extra special. Le Lion is the most incredible show, it’s always been a dream to win here and I can’t actually believe it’s come true,” said Stevens
“The owners Chris and Lisa Stone are so excited. The horse was unbelievable, he was so positive and his ears were pricked… It feels like he loves cross-country. We have high hopes for him. The feeling he gives me is incredible, and his ability to focus is just unbelievable even at such a young age.”
Silver medallist Kitty King now has a full set of medals from Le Lion: two golds, a silver and a bronze. The precociously talented Kantango was bred in the United Kingdom, starting his career in jumping before King took him on as a five-year-old.
“He (Kantango) had a steep learning curve as a six-year-old, but he’s been a super consistent horse. He’s very sharp and has a quick-thinking brain and he felt superb all week. It was the best performance he’s given me and a great place to do it.”
Six-year-old champions Killer Queen and Merel Blom-Hulsman experienced the rain on their cross-country round. “I had a long and wet ride. She surprised me at the first water when she jumped quite big and gave me an easy Cross-Country round. We bought her as a three-year-old and when she was four, she became Dutch Champion for her age.”
Runner-up Norway Van De Haar is another exciting prospect sourced by Mark Bosanko in The Netherlands as a four-year-old and taken on by Warburton as a five-year-old. The KWPN gelding by High Shutterfly belied his youth in all three phases and gave Warburton his best result at Le Lion so far, having finished in the top ten in 2022 and 2023. “This horse is lovely. I rode with him for the first time as a five-year-old and from the minute I sat on him I knew he was one for Lion,” Warburton said.
More from News:
