GROWING up on a sheep farm in Crossabeg, Co Wexford, an interest in animals and breeding was instilled in me from a very early age. My first pony Ebony Jade arrived on the farm when I was nine years old. Having produced her from a three-year-old to Grade A level, we decided to breed from her after I outgrew her.
Her first foal, a filly by Cult Hero named Saoirse, was sold in Goresbridge as a four-year-old. She went to the UK and we subsequently lost track of her. You can imagine our surprise and delight when many years later we received a call from a family friend Deirdre Bowler, who was watching the European pony championships in Millstreet. She happened to recognise the name of the dam of one of the ponies competing in the Nations Cup. How lucky it was that Saoirse (or Saorsie as she was registered as in the UK) had ended up in the yard of up-and-coming pony rider Jessica Mendoza, and how sweet that first taste of breeding success was for us.
Following on from this, we registered Tykillen as our prefix to make it easier to keep track of any home-breds sold.
Through school and college, I continued to breed and produce young horses, competing in both the show jumping and eventing young horse classes, Dublin Horse Show always being the highlight of the year
I studied Veterinary in UCD. Following graduation in 2012, the horses fell to the wayside a little due to work and family commitments.
At the start of 2024, I changed jobs moving to a part-time position at Borovalley Veterinary Clinic in Wexford, where I work as a small animal vet. Between this move and my kids - Cathal (8) and Tadhg (6) - becoming a little older, I have recently been able to focus more on my love of breeding and producing horses.
In 2024, John Ormonde of Wexford Sand installed a 60x40m arena for us. We were fortunate to be able to avail of 60% TAMS funding to install this arena. This has been a huge asset to me in schooling our young horses and I am very grateful to the Equine Farming Task Force and everyone they lobbied to include horse facilities in the current TAMS Scheme.
Myself and my husband Liam continue to farm, in partnership with my mother Frances. However, sheep numbers have dropped as horse numbers have crept up. We both have a strong interest in nature and aim to farm in a sustainable way enhancing the biodiversity on our farm. We have approx 15 acres planted in forestry. Liam works both on and off farm.
A keen beekeeper, he introduced native Irish honeybees to the farm about 10 years ago and now manages 20 hives. From these, we produce honey and a range of beeswax products, which we sell via our online shop: www.tykillenfarm.ie
There is a lot going on! Producing the young horses is very much my “me time” and something that I immensely enjoy. It is hugely rewarding to bring them from a green/wobbly/spooky just-backed three-year-old to a confident five-year-old that understands and really enjoys their job.
1. Proudest breeder moment?
It was of course very special to be in Le Lion d’Angers this year to see Tykillen Tango placing third at the WBFSH young eventing horse championships, but nothing beats competing as an own-er/breeder/rider.
Last year, I qualified three home-breds for the young event horse finals at Dublin Horse Show. Tykillen Rockstar was sold to a very good home in Switzerland before the show, so I had two to compete. I was very proud of how both Tykillen Tango and Tykillen Shindig performed in Dublin and was very close to winning both the four and five-year-old sections with them, which would have been amazing - maybe 2026 will be my year!
Tykillen Shindig has recently been sold and will be campaigned by five-star rider Kirsty Charbert next year, so I’m hoping both she and Tango will be at Le Lion next year.
Ciara Kinsella and Tykillen Tango at the Young Eventhorse Series in Forth Mountain \ Louise O'Brien Photography
2. How many broodmares do you currently have?
We have three very well-related mares. Lisdara Impish Lady (Master Imp x Clover Hill) and Skreenmor Dancer (Crosstown Dancer x Big Sink Hope) both breed beautiful event types. Mabel van de Renger (Eldorado x Amadeus) is a more recent addition from whom I hope to breed show jumpers.
3. “Fools breed horses for wise men to buy.” Agree/disagree with this saying?
I strongly disagree - I love breeding and producing horses and matching them to their perfect home. I find huge satisfaction in the whole process.
4. Prefixes, your thoughts?
Prefixes can be a valuable marketing tool and, assuming they are kept, make it so much easier to keep track of horses sold overseas.
As well as breeding, I do buy the odd foal and personally would never dream of removing the breeder(s)’s prefix.
5. The standout international show jumping stallion for you?
I like supporting Irish studs - Tyson, Livello and Dignified have all been good to me. For 2026, I have two mares in foal to Stargos VDL - an eight-year-old stallion that I really like.
6. Social media - a positive or negative in the horse world?
It’s a double-edged sword, isn’t it? Hugely positive from the perspective of showcasing and marketing horses to a worldwide audience. However, the potential for harm to the industry through the release of videos highlighting welfare issues has been proven.
Hallie Coon with Tykillen Tango (ISH) won a bronze medal at the FEI WBFSH World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses, Le Lion d'Angers \ Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times
7. That famous horse or pony you’d love to have bred?
Ladykiller.
8. It takes a team, who’s on yours?
My mother Frances has always been my biggest supporter, from driving me round to shows in my pony days to providing endless childcare in more recent years - none of it would have been possible without her.
My husband Liam does all the farm work and keeps the show on the road. I receive fantastic help with the young horses from David Richard. Although I’ve received lessons from him for almost 30 years now, I haven’t yet got to the end of his knowledge and wisdom.
My sister Aoife will always give me a lead from Casper, her trusty Connemara, the first day I go cross-country schooling with a young horse. She is also a very talented groom. My farrier Peter Byrne, dentist John Ellard and vets Justin Browne and Simon Fahy at Borovalley Vet Clinic are all very important and much appreciated too.
9. Breeding horses, would you do it all over again?
Absolutely!
10. Vettings…
It is a relief to me that, as a small animal vet, I am not involved in doing any vettings - what a minefield!
In addition to certifying horses sound on a given day, vets are expected to give an opinion on a horse’s future risk of lameness. This opinion can of course be subjective and influenced by the vet’s prior experiences, the fear of litigation (often the vet has had no previous relationship with the client - there is no trust built up), and the buyer’s expectations for the horse.
In many cases, the future clinical significance of current X-ray findings can be very difficult to predict.
Some buyers seem to see anything other than zero findings on clinical exam and X-rays as a “failed vetting”, which is simply unrealistic. All of this can be very frustrating for sellers.