CROSSMAGLEN is home to me; I’m a mixed stock farmer producing beef cattle and breeding sport horses. My passion for horses came from my late uncle Peter McEntee and, nowadays, this interest is enthusiastically shared by my daughter Alanna.
1. Proudest breeder moment?
Without doubt, the proudest breeder moment for me was the recent success of Rutland Flamenco (Casallco - Red Flamenco, by Je T’Aime Flamenco).
Ridden by Ian Cassells, she won the silver medal in the six-year-old final at the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) young eventing horse championships that were held at Le Lion d’Angers in France.
2. How many broodmares do you currently have?
Luckily, I still have Red Flamenco (Je T’Aime Flamenco - Little Touch Of Red, by Touchdown), the dam of Rutland Flamenco and her full-sister, who is just two years old.
I bred Red Flamenco and, along with her, my other two broodmares Vans Gils and Sandro Girl are in foal to Boy Of Kannan. He is a home-bred colt, left entire because of his pedigree and temperament and runs with his mares. He’s by Kannan and out of Quick And Easy, a mare by Quick Star. Alanna particularly liked him as a foal.
JP Meegan competes the eight-year-old show jumper Sir Loui, who is a half-brother to Rutland Flamenco, as he’s also out of Red Flamenco and by Luidam.
For 2026, the top-class stallions Caracas (Casall ASK x Colman), My Way (Mylord Carthago x Cassini I) and Casallco (Casall ASK x Contender) are all on my radar to use.
3. “Fools breed horses for wise men to buy.” Agree/disagree with this saying?
I would agree with this. It’s a long road from ‘covering to competition’, but the grá for breeding wins through.
4. Prefixes, your thoughts?
Prefixes are grand. I don’t use a prefix myself, however I do recognise the importance of being recorded as the breeder.
5. The standout international show jumping stallion for you?
Well, this answer begins at home here in Crossmaglen with the Kernan family’s home-bred Touchdown (Galoubet - Lady Willpower, by Cheyne) that jumped at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 with James. That same summer, he and James were also on the winning Aga Khan Nations Cup team at the Dublin Horse Show.
There’s a link to this famous stallion through Rutland Flamenco’s dam Red Flamenco as she is out of a Touchdown mare, Little Touch of Red (Touchdown - Alley Bell Girl. Breeder: Patrick McEntee).
She [Alley Bell Girl] went back to the thoroughbred sire Ruffo and then to Flagmount Diamond, an Irish Draught stallion that stood with Gladys McArdle. Nowadays, I regularly use stallions from the Schockemöhle collection and Gladys and Eamon McArdle’s team of stallions, based locally at Drumhowan Stud in Co Monaghan.
Ian Cassells with the Eugene McEntee-bred Rutland Flamenco won a silver medal in Le Lion d'Angers \ Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times
6. Social media - a positive or negative in the horse world?
I’m not a big fan of social media, but it does have its uses, for example, it is useful to follow international show jumping and eventing and results.
7. That famous horse or pony you’d love to have bred?
It would have to be Liscalgot (Touchdown - Tulla’s Pride. Breeder: Terence Harvey), the 2002 world show jumping champion with Dermott Lennon. I know all her connections and her story and their success was famous.
And 2002 was a memorable year for our family as my two brothers, Tony and John, were part of Armagh’s winning team that won the All-Ireland football final. It was the first time that Armagh had won an All-Ireland football final and Joe Kernan’s team played against Kerry at Croke Park in September. That was a fantastic year for Armagh.
8. It takes a team, who’s on yours?
My team is Alanna and myself.
9. Breeding horses, would you do it all over again?
I wouldn’t change it. It’s the dream to breed that special horse! I lived the dream in 2025 as Rutland Flamenco’s breeder and hopefully there will be more good results like that to come.
10. Who would you like to invite round to dinner?
Willie Mullins, the champion racehorse trainer. Winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar recently with Ethical Diamond was phenomenal. He’s a legend for sure.