I grew up on a farm outside Athy, the eldest of six. From a non-horsey background, my calling from an early age was always to work with horses. Dad, who had a great interest in sport, drove my first pony Tayto and myself to summer shows. After school, I spent two years as a working pupil with Gisela Holstein, training alongside racehorse trainer Philip Dempsey and receiving regular instruction from another ex-pupil, Comdt Gerry Mullins.

After completing my BHSAI exams in Wirral, Liverpool, I came home in 1981 to open my own yard. I was lucky to jump some talented young horses such as Dury Lad, Dury Diamond, Double Diamond and Coolbawn. Many made their way into the hands of a great supporter of the Irish horse; Max Hauri, through Seamus Hughes, a great friend, mentor and customer. Whenever I said ‘I’ve a good one you should see’, Seamus and Max would visit the yard.

I’d little interest in breeding horses until 1983 when I spotted a four-year-old 15.2hh flaxen-maned chesnut filly by a little-known stallion, Clover Hill. Bought cheaply at Goffs’ sport horse sale, she had a lovely, sweet nature with a tremendous, scopey jump and was sold some months later, through Paul Darragh, to an Italian’s daughter.

‘The one that got away’ is how I got hooked on Clover Hill! So on a cold Sunday afternoon that November after eventually finding Ringroe, I drove up the long narrow lane into an olde-worlde yard where time stood still. My first and abiding memory of Philip Heenan was a gentle, kind man wearing a cap, dogs at his feet, a robin feeding from his hand and a great twinkle in his eye, as he ‘sounded you out’.

I explained I didn’t have a mare but would love to see Clover Hill so I could buy a mare that would suit him. He replied: “A young one like you has driven all the way from Kildare? Well, you’ll have to see him so.”

Philip was a great friend throughout the years. We shared many chats sitting alongside dedicated breeders who had travelled from the four corners of Ireland to his wonderful stallions; Ballinvella, Delamain, Robertstown Boy and Leabeg.

Clover Hill

The following spring I found the one for Clover Hill; Molino, a very blood-type by the thoroughbred Sandyman Star, who stood with the Tynan’s in Peafield Stud. Her dam Babycham, was an Anglo-Arab by the Arab, Naseel, who stood at Stradbally Hall with the Cosby family.

In 1986, Molino foaled a chesnut filly; Clover’s Lass. She grew to 16.2hh, with the brain and cleverness of the Arab pony in her blood. Having lost Molino foaling the following year, Clover’s Lass was retained, despite many good offers.

Clover’s Lass bred many noted performers by various stallions, which is the true test of the broodmare. Hers included the Cavalier full-sisters, Dreamin’, (jumped by Thomas Hauri) and Dreamin Of U, dam of HHS Fortuna and HHS Figaro; Nothing Compares To U (Master Imp), sold to Germany and the Army Equitation School’s Brosnavilla (Ballinvella).

After buying and setting up Ballintogher Stud, this prefix was invaluable. More of her stock are the Cruising full-siblings, Ballintogher Cruiser, jumped by Conor Swail, then sold to Rich Fellers and the noted broodmare, Ballintogher Whattababe, who bred Annyalla Three Seas, plus Ballintogher Leo (Cavalier), the sire of many eventers. The influence of Naseel, four generations back could be seen in each of them in the quickness of step, nose and tail carriage.

Over the years, I sought out more broodmares, with age-old sires like Penistone, Water Serpent, Nordlys, Middle Temple, Prefairy and Renwood in their pedigrees.

Proven family

I bought the Clover Hill mare, Collolla Girl at Ballinasloe Fair. Bred by Leslie Wakefield, she had many proven siblings in her family. Although only 15.2hh, all her progeny were 16.2hh plus, proving you must always breed on your instincts, not necessarily on what you see.

She bred Shannondale Dot Com, another that went to Rich Fellers. His Cavalier full-sister, Ballintogher Nell bred the Army Equitation School’s Ballintogher (Condios) and the Cruising stallion, Ballintogher Bud.

Thoroughbred blood in a stallion is very important to me and even more important in a mare. Although Clover Hill and Cavalier were not thoroughbred, they both had influential thoroughbreds in their bloodlines.

I was proud to have been associated with Guidam during my years as manager of Knightfield Stud. My days were very busy working with great vets like Andrea Carli and Steffi Bucca. Great memories of great people, many of whom are still in touch. Four years later, Guidam was fatally injured. He was a great loss to the breeding world, however, he has left his mark.

Since then I’ve been involved in sourcing, breeding and producing a number of flat horses, successfully trained by Johnny Murtagh. There is no buzz like a young horse you foaled, reared and handled passing the winning post in first place.

I’ve worked with a number of Government-funded Youth Horse Projects, where the welfare of horses and trainee handlers is foremost. The rewards are huge in teaching through equine assisted therapy and the kindness, empathy and joy horses and ponies give their riders make me love these remarkable animals even more.

I’m often asked to judge and get great enjoyment from it. All that said, it is my three wonderful children I am most proud of.

An avid football fan, Brian plays for our local club O’Dempseys and works as a biopharmaceutical engineer in Dublin. Emma has a masters in business and works in her dad’s business, Farmhill Agri in Rathangan. She shares my love of horses, competing regularly on the homebred, Ballintogher Leonardo. Rebecca has a degree in international commerce in Chinese. Being fluent in Chinese and anything but a homebird, she works in Taiwan.

My greatest inspiration is my mother, whom having lost my father almost 30 years ago remains resilient and independent in her 80s. She still insists on mowing her lawn. It would be nice, if and when I reached her age, to be following the progress of something our mares bred around the world!