The death of the Irish international show jumper Touchdown, who went on to become a leading sport horse sire, has saddened the equestrian world.
Touchdown, who was foaled in 1982, was one of the first part-warmblood stallions to stand in Ireland. He was by the Selle Francis Galoubet A out of the international show jumper Lady Willpower, a daughter of the Thoroughbred Cheyne. Bred by father and son team Frank and James Kernan, he was owned by Frank in partnership with Mary Duggan.
With James Kernan, Touchdown enjoyed a successful international show jumping career. In 1992, he was the highest placed Irish show jumper at the Barcelona Olympics and he was a member of the winning Aga Khan Cup team in Dublin in the same year.
At stud, his progeny included the mare Liscalgot, on whom Dermot Lennon won individual gold at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez in 2002.
Touchdown was a remarkable stallion, excelling both as a performer in his own right and a sire of high-performance progeny, said Nick Finnerty, director general of the Irish Horse Board. He will be fondly remembered in the Irish horse world and his legacy will live on through his many outstanding progeny.
Touchdown spent the final few years of his life at stud with Lucy and Norman Allen at Knockrath Stud in Co Meath.
This news story was also published in Horse & Hound magazine
