Choosing European stallions in Europe – that’s one choice facing Irish breeders. According to Tina McDermott, who stands the Olympic show jumper Orestus, A Quidam M and new addition Pino at her and husband Eoin’s HVL Stud near Enniskerry, another option is to use European stallions standing here.

“We should help each other. We want to produce top showjumpers and eventers in Ireland. To have top stallions in Ireland that have jumped at that level would help achieve that objective.

“If grants were given to stallion owners, there might be further interest and more stallions of this category would arrive,” said Tina, calling on Horse Sport Ireland to work with stallion owners prepared to bring in 1.60m calibre performers.

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“The offspring would then be registered with HSI, hence supporting them,” she explained.

The eldest offspring of Orestus, who competed at the 2008 Olympic Games, have just started to make their mark, with HVL Symphony winning the Dublin three-year-old performance filly final, while an Orestus – Phin Phin filly sold for €9,000 at Cavan’s Elite Foal Sale last year.

“Only time will tell what serious sons and daughters will come from Orestus,” said Tina, who previously owned Highland Destiny, the dam of Margaret Kinsella’s Rio short-listed eventer Rioghan Rua.

Promising eventers

Another HVL stallion A Quidam M is already starting to repay the Wicklow couple’s faith by producing some promising eventers from his eldest crops including Bumble Bee Orchid, Ballycorman Smokie (eventing in The Netherlands and Dublin finalist Dark Knight, plus the 1.20m show jumpers HVL Electra and HVL Manon Lescaut.

Another trend among Irish stud owners is doubling as AI agents, and the McDermotts are the sole agents for Contendro, the WBFSH’s top eventing sire last year and Air Jordan Z. Their other Dutch-sourced stallion is Pino, originally bought by Team Nijhof as a foal before his sale to the Boompamp family for whom he competed at 1.60m level.

“He jumped to the very highest level and already has offspring at Grand Prix level out of just 39 mares he covered while in The Netherlands.

“Acanthus B, Adonis, Acer, Pina Colada and Bedero are some of his rare progeny already at 1.45-1.55m level, while Emerson is a US export. His current rider is Steve Jobs’ daughter, Eve.

“Pino is a son of the legendary Heartbreaker, one of my favourite stallions out there apart from my own!” added Tina, an owner who is providing Irish breeders with European options.