‘The best mare doesn’t always breed the best foal’
Seamus Duffy has a fine track record in producing top class Irish Draught horses, reports
Siobhán English
most notably Kilmovee White Carnation in 2002.
By Carrabawn View she first made her mark in the show ring as a four-year-old with her first foal, a colt by Powerswood Purple, winning the accolade at Ballinasloe.
Of the mare’s seven foals to date, five are colts and this also includes the Class 1 stallion Kilmovee White Hero standing with the Duffys at their Kilmovee Stud outside Ballaghaderreen in Co Mayo.
In 2014 the Duffys decided to send the mare to the US import Harkaway Lionhawk and in 2015 they had one of their best years to date with the colt, Kilmovee Lionhawk.
Winner of another colt foal championship at Ballinasloe, that year they also won the Martin Connolly Cup, as well as the Leitrim Breeders’ Championship, and reserve champion sashes at both Ballinrobe and Strokestown.
They topped off the year with Kilmovee White Carnation then being crowned Broodmare of the Year at the IDHBA Annual Awards.
Inspection
“We think a lot of that colt and so we have decided to retain him and possibly put him up for inspection next year,” Seamus commented.
Not for the first time, in re- cent years the Duffys have had to change some of their breeding programme not by choice but rather by circumstance as patterns change in Ireland.
“We have found that while there is a nice selection of stallions in the country, it is hard to find one that is not related back down the line,” said Seamus.
“This year we decided to go abroad and use Avanti Amorous Archie for Savannagh. She has also produced a few winners for us in the past, including the Class 2 stallion Kilmovee Field Marshall.
“This year we have also decided to send another of our Irish Draught mares to the Irish Sport Horse sire Captain Caruso.”
That mare is Kilmovee Empress, a full-sister to Kilmovee Emperor who landed another Ballinasloe title for the breeders before being sold to the UK as a potential show hunter.
Both are by Creggan Emperor out of Moneenroe View, by Carrabawn View.
Her progeny also includes the UK-based Kilmovee Kings View, by Inishfree The Holy Grail.
“Good horses will always be in demand, but no-one wants something that is ‘middle of the road’,” Seamus said.
“Our aim is to keep producing the useful ones that can go on,” he concluded.