GALWAYBAY Stud is located just outside Galway city. The prefix came about because I have land by the sea at Galway Bay and the horses can go into the water down there.

I love to rear 80-100 beef calves every year too and they mix well with the horses.

The yard is set up for a one-person operation with open barns and pens and more help is at hand as Molly, the donkey, brings in the dry mares every day.

1. Congratulations - you’re the top-ranked global breeder and HSH Blake (Tolan R - Doughiska Lass, by Kannan) is the number one horse in the 2026 World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses eventing rankings. An achievement like that makes the “slave work” years worthwhile?

I started with sport horses in 2007 after selling the pedigree dairy herd in 2005. It has been very difficult to establish the business, but now the horses sell themselves.

Our dairy cow Twain was national dairy show champion in 2002 and 2004, but the business was only for sales in Ireland.

Sport horses are completely different and the sales are worldwide. Thankfully, I am very lucky with the mares I have.

2. Proudest breeder moment?

Blake ranking as number one in the world is definitely my proudest moment. Other horses, such as Luibanta BH (Luidam - Mibanta, by Abantos) and Galwaybay Jed (Romanov - Nikara, by Lux Z) were both previously the highest-rated Irish Sport Horses in the studbook worldwide.

I am really excited about Galwaybay Esmeralda (Emerald - Galwaybay Winebreaker M, by Mermus R) - she was fourth in the WBFSH seven-year-old finals in Lanaken last month - and about the youngstock that are coming through in the future.

I’m proud too of some of the younger horses; Galwaybay Winning Mood (Winningmood - Galwaybay Merstona, by Mermus R) and Galwaybay Jim (Catoki - Galwaybay Annika, by Kannan), but overall, Blake’s ranking and results are very special when it helped the Irish Sport Horse eventing studbook become number one in the world again.

3. How many broodmares do you have now?

I have 15 mares that I breed from. I normally take two mares for embryo transfer or ICSI work.

Blake’s dam Doughiska Lass (Kannan - Mount Cashel Queen, by Redhouse Condor) gave two pregnancies by Tolan R, due in 2027.

Merstona (Mermus R - Simply Touch, by Touchstone) is already the dam of HSH Connor (Connor) and Galwaybay Winning Mood and she has a special four-year-old by Chacco Blue. She had a Candy De Nantuel (Luidam x Diamant de Semilly) filly this year, which will be kept for a broodmare. Merstona will go on an embryo transfer programme this year.

Winebreaker S (Heartbreaker), the granddam of Esmeralda, has three pregnancies due including a Catoki. I am excited with our new mare Gaga-Terma WM (Zirocco Blue VDL - Cornet Terma, by Cornet Obolensky), dam of William Whitaker’s Emoraldi-Terma Z (Emerald). She is due again in 2027 with Emerald.

Justin Burke receiving an award for Luibanta BH at the 2018 HSI breeders conference from Edward Doyle \ Susan Finnerty

4. For you, the current standout international stallion?

Emerald (Diamant de Semilly - Carthina Z, by Carthago Z) - best value, they all jump and also have a great brain. I’m a big fan too of Catoki (Cambridge - Bilda, by Silvester) and United Touch S (Untouched - Touch Of Class, by Lux Z).

5. “Fools breed horses for wise men to buy.” Agree/disagree?

Disagree. Champions will never be made if you keep your boat tied to the quay. You have to take risks to win. The mare’s damline is everything.

A lot of riders are now purchasing embryos and pregnancies directly from the stud, compared to 10 years ago, when I mostly sold three-year-olds. I love when horses that I sell go on and be successful for their owners and riders.

6. Galwaybay is yours, thoughts on prefixes?

Galwaybay was used as a prefix since 2001 and it started with the pedigree dairy cows. It’s a great advertisement if the prefix stays on the horse, but some people like to have their own name.

With the power of the internet, people will always find the breeding of any horse.

7. Do breeders get enough recognition?

I am happy with the recognition. The owners of these horses are amazing, they have to dig so deep to fund their dream. Not every horse will be a five-star horse and pay its way, but those five-star horses raise the stud’s profile and help sell others.

8. That famous horse or pony you’d love to have bred?

United Touch S; I love his character, jump and his canter. So many people tried him as a young horse, it’s now amazing to watch him with Richard Vogel. I have yearlings and foals by him.

9. It takes a team, who’s on yours?

There is a very small team, everything is kept in-house. Gerard, my father, has been a great help to me through the years. I also have to thank Noel Delahunty, Aidan Browne and our team of vets.

And there’s another link between the two Galway breeders in this year’s WBFSH rankings, as Patrick Connolly’s son Shane does farriery work here.

10. The real boss in the Galwaybay Stud yard?

Spot, the Jack Russell.