WE always had horses on the farm, my father bred Irish Draughts and Connemara Ponies and sold them as two- or three-year-olds. He bred the Irish Draught stallion Mourne Mountain Star.
I started buying youngstock and selling them as three-year-olds. I bought my first broodmare in 1994; a Glacier Mint two-year-old and covered her with Cruising and she bred Cummer Cruise who competed to 1.30m. We then put her in foal to Ramiro B who bred Ramiro Cruise, a 1.55m horse with Edwina Tops-Alexander.
In 2001, I bought my first Clover Hill mare, Cummer Clover, the grandmother of CSF Vendi Cruz who jumped 1.60m with Shane Breen. We bought Olympic Clover and she produced CSF Olympic Cruz, a Zangersheide approved stallion; CSF Olympic Jewel, a six-year-old competing at 1.30m, and is the grandam of CSF Olympic Lady (1.50m). Another Clover Hill mare was Doolin Clover who bred Warrenstown Well Aware (1.50m).
We then bought Vis ta Vie Van de Farm, by Darco and she bred two by Cruising: WCE Cruco (1.60m) and WCE Falco (1.50m). Princess, another Darco mare, bred Paddy’s Dream Z (1.60m) by Picasso Z and is also the grandam of the Zirocco Blue mare CSF Princess Blue (1.50m).
Our mare Norrira (Cavalier Royale x Diamond Lad) bred Sera Vue (1.45m) by Harlequin du Carel; CSF Mr. Kroon (1.45m), by Kroongraaf, who also won the Mo Chroi four-year-old final in Dublin; CSF Royal Cruz 1.50m, another by Cruising and CSF Sir George, by Sir Shutterfly, the five-year-old silver medal winner at Lanaken in 2018.
We decided we would get a prefix - CSF for Connolly Stud Farm - to follow the progress and performances of our breeding stock.
1. Congratulations on breeding Shane Sweetnam’s Aga Khan-winning horse James Kann Cruz, who goes back to a Clover Hill mare you bought back from Switzerland. Tell us more about him.
In 2002, we expanded our broodmare herd and bought Tell Of Clover, a European juniors gold medallist for the Swiss team and fourth individually at those championships.
She bred CSF Telly Clover (Ars Vivendi) and CSF Telly Cruz (Cruising) who is the dam of CSF James Kann Cruz (1.60m).
He is named James after Brian’s son as they were both born in the same year! We sold him as a foal to Mary and Ann Gannon, who produced him up to 1.50m in Ireland and then sold him to Shane Sweetman and we would like to congratulate Shane on a super performance at the RDS, making our dreams a reality.
CSF Telly Cruz also bred CSF Vinze (Luidam. 1.50m), CSF Kancruz (Kannan. 1.45m), the six-year-old CSF Jackpot (1.25m) and five-year-old CSF McGregor, both by Glasgow vant Merelsnest.
2. Proudest moment(s) as a breeder?
There have been many proud moments. Our proudest moment is, without question, seeing CSF James Kann Cruz representing Ireland on the Nations Cup team that won the Aga Khan Cup and finishing third in the Grand Prix on Sunday.
It was extra special that all the family and grandchildren were there and having the family photograph taken with Shane Sweetman and the Aga Khan Cup.
Another proud moment for me and the family was winning the Dublin Horse Show breeders award in 2013.
Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz during the Aga Khan Nations Cup at the Dublin Horse Show \ Laurence Dunne Jumpinaction.net
3. How many broodmares/foals do you currently have?
We have 25 mares and 20 foals. CSF Telly Cruz, James Kann Cruz’s dam, and CSF Twilight (Voltaire - CSF Clover Cruz) have no foals this year.
Mares with colt foals, to name a few, are: CSF Telly Clover (Ars Vivendi - Tell Of Clover) with a Hardrock Z; CSF Ali’s Diamond (Diamant de Semilly - CSF Telly Cruz) has a Kannan; Olympic Clover (Clover Hill - Kubla Khan) has a Cornerado VDL; Call Me Cool Z (Clinton - Carianda) with a Carrera VDL; CSF Princess Ida (Ars Vivendi - Princess) and an Escape Z and then CSF Olympic Starlet (Flexible - Olympic Clover) with another Carerra VDL.
The mares with filly foals are Norrira (Cavalier Royale - Bambas Diamond) and a Carrera VDL; Lady At Last (Ars Vivendi - Vis Ta Vie Van de Farm) and a Tangelo; CSF Kylie (Kannan - CSF Lady At Last) and a Hardrock Z; CSF Roys Revel (Quidam de Revel - CSF Triple C) and a Zirocco Blue and then CSF Scarlet (Ars Vivendi - Mullentine Scarlett Cruise) with an Acorad.
4. Out of all those, a favourite mare?
All of our mares on the farm bring something special to our breeding programme, but our favourite broodmare at the moment has to be CSF Telly Cruz. Her mother Tell Of Clover, who passed away aged 28, was among the other favourites.
5. Describe your regime for keeping broodmares and youngstock.
All of our horses are mixed grazed with cattle and sheep for the summer, we find this works best for us.
In the winter, we keep most of them indoors with an outdoor pad for them to walk in and out of. They are fed ad-lib haylage and some concentrates for the mares that need it.
Youngstock are put in separate pens to the mares.
6. Do breeders get enough recognition?
In my opinion, breeders are getting a bit more recognition now than when I started breeding, but a lot more needs to be done for the breeder.
And it’s my opinion that when you get a prefix, it should remain with the horse for life.
7. If you could have bred any horse in history?
Without a shadow of a doubt it has to be CSF James Kann Cruz. If I was to pick another one, it would have to be Cruising. I just loved him, his daughters always bred well for us and started us on our breeding programme and got us recognition as breeders.
8. It takes a team - who’s on yours?
It takes a team to make the dream work. My wife Dolly and sons Brian and Shane help out all year, but particularly during the busy breeding season.
Living near Tuam, we are very lucky to be close to vet Philip McManus, he is always only a phone call away 24/7 and to Kylemore Stud, with their access to a good selection of stallions. They provide an excellent service.
Having an in-house farrier [Shane] is a big help in keeping the mares’ feet in good shape and to do any corrective work on the youngsters if any needs to be done.
9. Best advice you ever got?
My father always said “Never get married to any of them, be prepared to sell and always breed the mares for a purpose”.
10. What’s next for CSF?
I love breeding and the dream is to continue breeding and producing horses that would get to the highest level and who knows, maybe breed another Aga Khan winner or even an Olympic gold medallist!