Drumhowan Stud

Drumhowan Stud has recently been described as a brand of its own making. In this media-centred world, Gladys and Eamon McArdle work without a website or Facebook, but with a knowledge built on life-long experiences in the stallion business.

“From the breeders’ point of view, we feel it is best, if possible, to see the stallions in the flesh, in order to make compatible selections for mares, most of the stallions we offer are resident at Drumhowan,” says Gladys.

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“Already enquiries and interest from breeders for the thoroughbred and performance stallions for 2014 is quite robust. The Irish Draught breeding scene will be harder work, yet the first mare covered in 2014 at Drumhowan Stud is a pure-bred RID mare,” adds Gladys. Drumhowan Stud stands two thoroughbred stallions – Road To Happiness and Mr Big Cat.

Replacing Paul Schockemohle’ Sir Shutterfly and continuing this association will be one of two new jumping stallions at Drumhowan Stud, Colandro. Colandro is a son of 2013 WBFSH number 10 showjumping sire Contendro 1. At the first Dutch KWPN eventing sale in the Netherlands in 2013, the Colandro-sired Dutchman was among the sale toppers, when he sold for €28,000.

The second new addition is the young superstar-stallion Paris Blue. “He is a big four-year-old horse with a huge performance background,” says Gladys.

Son of World Cup winner Plot Blue, his dam Artemis is a Belgian National Grand Prix mare herself and is the maternal half-sister to the legendary Sapphire (Mclain Ward). Paris Blue is owned by the highly-respected showjumping breeders Alan Robertson and Peter Glynn.

Also in 2014, semen will be available at Drumhowan Stud from the HSI 2013 approved, international showjumping stallion Tolan R, through Alan Robertson.

Standing alongside these new stallions are the already popular performance stallions – Ringfort Cruise, Arkan, Creevagh Ferro, VDL Hold Up Premier and Renkum Valentino. Drumhowan’s RID Stallions Killcotton Cross and Allys Bridge complete the stallion roster for 2014.

With regard to progress made within the sector, Gladys is quick to give credit to the sales companies, especially Goresbridge Go-For-Gold sale ‘a brillant successful sales initiative’, along with Ronan Rothwell’s Barnadown foal sale and the Cavan elite foal sales.

For further information, contact Drumhowan Stud, Drumhowan, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan. Tel: 042 974 5611

Lissava Stud

“So far this year I would say enquiries are up on last year. Saying that, breeders are in a period of transition and some breeders seem to think the grass is greener for stallions in Europe,” says Anne Marie O’Gorman of Lissava Stud.

“We have had a lot of positive feedback about our young KWPN stallion Floris, and Cobra (HOLS) continues to be a popular choice among breeders. We have had success with showjumping horses and the American market has been very good to us. I have seen Vancouver four-year-olds sell to the states for six figure sums.

“I would certainly note that breeders are more informed about the sires and their mares. In general, I am seeing a more professional breeder and the hobby breeder is no more. I would certainly say that breeders need an incentive to breed and it doesn’t have to be a financial reward, recognition for the breeder goes a long way and provides a positive promotion of the sport horse industry.”

“We say it every year, but the breeder must take a dispassionate look at his own mare and while all the talk is about the sire, the mare is often overlooked. Education and information are vital to breeders and HSI needs to be leading the way in this regard.

“The KWPN studbook, for example, drive around the country assessing mares and providing information to the breeder – we need to be doing this. Before any professional body can offer advice to a breeder, they need to interact with the breeder and assess the mare, taking into account her progeny and pedigree.

“I would go as far as to say the sales companies should be providing full pedigree information in the sales catalogues, in the same way as is done in the thoroughbred sale catalogues. The thoroughbred and cattle men have a lot to teach the sport horse breeder in this regard and there is no question that breeders will soon become familiar with, and anxious to read, this pedigree information.”

Lissava’s stallions for 2014 are Iroko WESTF (Pilot x Bengale x Remus); Cobra HOLS (Carthago Z x Landgraf I x Cor De La Breyre); Vancouver KWPN (Heartbreaker x Larome x Equador); Floris KWPN (Quality Time x Vancouver x Nimmerdor); and Jack of Diamonds SWB (Irco Mena x Imperious x King of Diamonds).

For further information, contact Lissava Stud, Cahir, Co Tipperary. Tel: 086-2650772

Kylemore Stud

Olive Broderick of Kylemore Stud says that sport horse breeding in Ireland has undergone dramatic changes in the last few years.

“There is a huge increase in the use of imported semen among sport horse breeders,” says Olive. “And this new generation of breeder is far more knowledgeable about the stallions on offer.”

Kylemore Stud is an agent for the world renowned VDL stud in the Netherlands and have had great success with Douglas (Darco x Capitol).

“If breeders have made a decision to import semen, the best advice I can give is to make sure that you are importing from a reputable source,” says Olive. “There is an understanding among breeders that we need to improve our mare herd. We would like to set up a team of six experts, including event riders, showjumpers and judges and a continental breeding expert. The idea would be for this team to assess breeders’ mares free of charge and suggest the type of stallion they should be breeding to.

“One thing I would like to see is sales companies coming on board for the breeder and putting a minimum bid of €500 on our foals at the sales. It would immediately give a lift to the industry and create a better impression of Irish sport horse sales,” says Olive.

“I would advise breeders to be sure of the deal they are getting with imported semen or they could end up spending money with no foal at the end. We talk about picking a stallion to compliment a mare and breeders must also breed a horse that compliments their production system. It is true to say that a top class five-year-old could fetch upwards of €50,000, but you will have to spend €20,000 plus to get the horse there and this is not for everyone, so it is important that the breeders breed for the market that suits them.”

For further information, contact Kylemore Stud, Ballyscully, Kylebrack, Loughrea, Co Galway. Tel: Olive 086-3760619 or Ivor 086-8169004

Kedrah Stud

For Tom Meagher of Kedrah Stud it is clear that the sport horse breeding sector in Ireland has shrunk considerably in the past number of years. However, Tom sees evidence of green shoots appearing, particularly this year.

“The guy that was breeding six mares every year has reduced this to breeding his three best mares to better quality stallions,” says Tom. “Increasing the quality and reducing the numbers.”

Currently, Irish horses are performing very well on the world eventing stage and we are moving in the right direction in showjumping, although Tom feels we will not see real progress here for perhaps another four to five years.

“Although we have had some great horses flying the Irish flag on the world stage recently, there is still no market for the store foal in the sport horse industry, unlike the thoroughbred side,” says Tom.

“Recently, I have seen a huge growth in the ‘clever’ breeder. Breeders are now divided into three categories, from what I see. The first group are the Celtic Tiger breeders who bred horses as a lifestyle choice, with mixed results, when there was money around. This breeder is largely gone now. The second group is the commercial farmer breeder who has always bred horses and who makes up the backbone of the industry. The third category is the professional breeder and this group set the standard for the industry.

“One thing I would like to say to breeders is that it is important to have trust in the studs around the country that they have chosen stallions to suit our industry and the stage of development the sector has reached to date.

“Sometimes it seems that everybody is an expert when it comes to sport horse breeding, but stud owners are in the business of supplying the needs of the market,” says Tom.

“The bottom line for me is that the standard will improve as the oversupply issue decreases.

“One thing I would say about the importation of individual stallions – here in Kedrah we have had real success with Ricardo Z, the world’s number one eventing stallion and as the industry progresses different stallions come to the fore.

“At Kedrah, Yeats is proving very popular, he is very attractive for breeders looking for a stallion with traditional Irish breeding,” concludes Tom.

For further information, contact Kedrah House Stud, Cahir, CoTipperary.

Tel: 052 7441790.