Not since the heydays of the ’60s and ’70s have we seen the likes of this: four Irish-breds on a winning British team. Young Holly Gilliot, Tim Page, Jessie Drea and Harriet Nuttall were all on Irish-bred horses brought at Goresbridge as they swept to victory ahead of 12 other sides in the Furusiyya Division 2 Nations Cup at Odense last weekend.

So on these pages we salute the breeders: John O’Brien of Limerick for Dougie Douglas by Ard VDL Douglas out of a High Roller dam; Mary McCann of Hartwell Stud for Santa Cruise by Randi out of a Cruising mare; Leo Rice from Monaghan who bred A Touch of Imperius by Touchdown out of a Cavalier Royale dam; Dr. Noel Cawley who bred Touchable, also by Touchdown, out of his Irco Mena mare Irco Rain. The world of Irish show jumping breeding is not all gloom and perhaps this feat is a signal that the recovery is beginning.

Meanwhile, our Irish team finished seventh at in this Nations Cup in Odense. Michael Duffy had a speed win there on Eminent.