In relation to the dams, 10 of them are either by Irish Sport Horses or thoroughbreds, while four continental studbooks account for the remainder.

In all, 20 young Irish-breds have been selected – five in each of the three categories for five, six and seven-year-olds, plus a further five that have been named in reserve. Commandant John Ledingham is acting as chef d’equipe.

The Irish sires represented include Flexible, Cruising’s Micky Finn, Warrenstown You 2 and Clover Flush. Among the foreign-bred stallions are O.B.O.S Quality (OLD) and Luidam (KWPN), who both sired two of the team. Other KWPN sires include Numero Uno, Vecta and Womanizer.

The great Darco (BWP) and Cassidee (SWB) each have one, as do the Hannovarians Lux Z and Clinton. Also included are progeny from the Westfalian’s Tinaranas Inspector and Newmarket Jewel, while from Selle Francais we have Hermes de Reve and Guidam progeny. The Zweibrucker Morgangold Major also has one.

Irish Sport Horse sires of the dams include Diamond Chin, Captain Clover, Puissance, Spring Elegance, Touchdown, Colin Diamond and Cruising.

Three are by the thoroughbreds Ballinvella, Porter Rhodes and Colonel Godfrey. Selle Francais, KWPN, Hannovarian and Holsteiner stud books account for the rest of the dams.

So it is a mix that mirrors the diversified nature of our show jumping breeding at the moment, but they are all Irish-bred.

Five-Year-Old Irish

Sport Horses

1 MHS Attraction (ISH) and Jenny Rankin (IRL).

2 KMR Twilight (ISH) and Cormac Rafferty (IRL).

3 Lissyegan Geoffrey (ISH) and Damien Griffin (IRL).

4 RVS Lui Fortunus (ISH) and Gemma Phelan (IRL).

5 Cruicerath Flexianna (ISH) and Eddie Moloney (IRL).

6 First reserve: Castlefield Cass (ISH) and Ger O’Neill.

7 Second reserve: Miss Darco (ISH) and Thomas O’Brien.

Six-Year-Old Irish

Sport Horses

1 Drumiller Houdini (ISH) and Francis Connors (IRL).

2 Deep Pockets (ISH) and Jim Derwin (IRL).

3 LCC Puss N Boots (ISH) and Paul Devlin (IRL).

4 Beech Hill Lucia (ISH) and Jenny Rankin (IRL).

5 Alberta Mist (ISH) and Greg Broderick (IRL).

6 First reserve: AHG Whiterock Cruise Down (ISH) and Jim Derwin (IRL).

7 Second reserve: Mr OBrien Two You (ISH) and Gemma Phelan (IRL).

Seven-Year-Old Irish

Sport Horses

1 KMR Benzini (ISH) and Cormac Rafferty (IRL).

2 CHS Inception (ISH) and Declan Egan (IRL).

3 Liberation (ISH) and Alan O’Regan (IRL).

4 MHS Washington (ISH) and Laura Renwick (GBR).

5 Talks Cheap (ISH) and Eoin McMahon (IRL).

6 First reserve: Newmarket Clare Lady (ISH) and Francis Connors (IRL).