A December to Remember

As the year draws to a close, December has been a fitting finale, reflecting the talent and dedication that continue to drive us forward. From the team in the U.A.E collecting endless medals to the Winter Brilliance Horse Auction (WBHA) centre stage at the London International Horse Show (LIHS), the month has delivered standout performances on an international level. 

Amid the build-up to the WBHA, results continued to roll in. The team’s winning performances in Butheeb at the beginning of the month set the tone for our U.A.E riders, with Al Forsan proving just as successful. Indeed, we recorded multiple top-ten finishes across the week: ‘Opportunity’ secured a 2^ndplace in the CSIYH1* 6YO Final, joined by ‘Z7 for T’ in the top 10. ‘Z7 Leela’ added to the success with a superb 2^nd place in the CSIYH1* 5YO Final. Strong performances in the CSI4* 1.30m jump-off class rounded off an excellent week for the team, with ‘BE Alcantara’ taking 3^rd, ‘CSF Thomascourt Zena’ finishing 4^th and ‘Z7 Pink Panther’ placing 6^th. 

The show in Kalba proved equally successful, with ‘Calixte Heartbreaker Z’ and Sandy McLean taking a stunning win in the CSI3* 1.40m class, crossing the finish line 2.28 seconds ahead of the competition. ‘Calixte Heartbreaker Z’ also secured a top-ten finish in the CSI3* 1.50m Grand Prix while ‘Commissaire S’ and Breen Training Student Eve McCoy delivered an excellent second place in the U25 1.40m Grand Prix, highlighting another strong weekend for the team. 

To top off a great month in the U.A.E, Sandy McLean rode ‘Opportunity’ to victory in the 6YO final in Al Ain and ‘BE Golden’ to 2^nd place in the 3* ranking class. ‘Calixte Heartbreaker Z’ capped off the week with a top-ten finish in the CSI3* World Cup, completing an excellent run of results.

At home in the United Kingdom, we’ve been equally as busy, with the LIHS featuring prominently on our calendar. The show marked the much-anticipated Winter Brilliance Horse Auction, bringing together top talent in an event organised by BE and the Billy Stud. It was also an important milestone as Dougie made his LIHS debut, competing ‘Lambay Off Broadway’ in the 128s Championship. Darcy was also in on the action with ‘One Saharah’ before the pair travelled on to Mechelen to contest the FEI Jumping Ponies Trophy. 

As 2025 draws to a close, we hope you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday season. We thank our team, sponsors, and owners for their continued support and look forward to another year of success and memorable moments at Breen Equestrian.