THE breeding of Lukas is another story in a long tradition spanning a few generations of the Parkhill family, being the first home-bred sporthorse.

I came to Ireland the first time in the summer of 1979 to visit a Swedish family friend Ninnie Odenrick and help out at her riding establishment. At that time I was a student in Stockholm and used to ride out racehorses at Taby racetrack in the mornings. My mother, together with my aunt, had a keen interest in horses too.

I met Ken, a veterinary surgeon, in 1980 and we got married in 1986. We bought a small farm, called it Castletown Quarry Stud and started our business there. We subsequently took over Boyne Bank Stud after Ken’s parents 25 years ago and operate it as a family business with our sons Peter and Nicholas.

We are fortunate to have got three good broodmare lines, built up for several generations, that have produced many good winners over the years. Morley Street and his full-brother Granville Again both won the Champion Hurdle in Cheltenham and Corbiere, who won the Grand National at Aintree and was placed twice in the same race, were some of the great horses Ken’s father Marshall bred.

We’ve been extremely lucky to have also bred many good winners, including Grade 1 winners Lovethehigherlaw, City Island, Ferny Hollow who both won in Cheltenham, and recently, Bob Ollinger.

Lukas was not the first half-bred here as sporthorses have always played a huge part in our lives and Ken used to show jump. When we met in 1980, he was producing his horse For Sure, who went on to represent Ireland at the World Equestrian Games in Stockholm and the Olympics with the late Paul Darragh.

We only produced the youngsters, either eventers, show jumpers or show horses, got them going and most were sold by the time they were four.

I enjoyed a lot of showing and also dressage. One outstanding horse that comes to mind was Zodiak, or Goofy, as he was also called. An amazing 17.2hh 7/8ths thoroughbred who won a lot of middleweight championships, including supreme at Balmoral and reserve supreme at the RDS. At that same show, he also finished third in the Elementary dressage as they ran dressage competition for a few years during the Horse Show then.

Zodiak went on to showjump here with my friend Madelaine Gervais and later at a high level abroad. A proper traditional Irish horse. The kind everyone wants and so hard to find nowadays.

I trained for my BSHAI with Iris Kellett, who was a great teacher and inspiration and remember informative lunches and good laughs.

There were also some years of judging dressage as well as showing that brought me to various corners of Ireland and in recent years I’ve enjoyed seeing the countryside on horseback at TREC events.

1. It takes a team – who’s on yours?

Behind every successful horse there is a great team and we have had the help of several top horsemen in the various stages of Lukas’s development; hats off to PJ Casey who got him going, Tony Kennedy, who started Lukas eventing and Conan Wright, who had him show jumping for a while – brilliant guys.

On to the last four years... Bridget Speirs is a very good friend of mine. I’ve known Camilla since she was a teenager and always hoped she would ride Lukas. Bridget and Camilla are a formidable team and all their hard work and dedication has paid off. Camilla and Lukas are going from strength to strength, it is amazing to see the horse just getting better each year.

They have certainly made my dream about breeding a top-class event horse come true and I am immensely grateful for all they have done for me and Lukas.

2. Proudest moment as a breeder?

My proudest moments were seeing Lukas and Camilla sail clear around Boekolo in 2019 and making it look so easy. He was only eight then. That was when he qualified. I was so excited and happy, my tears were unstoppable.

And, of course, Lukas being longlisted for the Tokyo Olympics and being in the top six Irish Sport Horses in the 2020 World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) rankings.

I was also extremely excited and delighted seeing our home-bred Zenaide, who I trained, winning a race with my son Peter on the first time out on the track for both of them.

3. Tell us about breeding Lukas?

We only ever bred thoroughbreds and Lukas is the exception. His dam Say Wonderful won a few races on the flat as a two-year-old for Noel Meade. She was a very beautiful, athletic mare and a fantastic mover, I always had my eye on her with the idea of breeding an event horse.

I got my chance when she had been barren a few years. I chose Lux Z as I had seen several of his progeny while judging young event horse classes around the country and liked the stamp of them. Tom Meagher M.R.C.V.S, who owned Lux Z, was in college with Ken and is a good friend of ours. He is actually responsible for Ken and myself meeting!

We did get a full-sister to Lukas but unfortunately, she had an accident.

4. How does breeding sport horses fit in at Castletown Quarry Stud?

Sport horse breeding fits in very well here as I see it but we have focused on building the old family lines of thoroughbred broodmares and they have been very good to us. The production of sporthorses is more difficult and financially, nearly impossible unless you have the rider and the whole outfit.

We had planned to sell Lukas and Camilla had prepared him for the Go For Gold sale. We had some decent offers from good international clients but not enough for us to part with him so both Ken and I said we’ve already spent six years, we may as well gamble! We knew what he was capable of.

5. Breeding thoroughbreds or sporthorses – are the principles the same? I believe, whether you are breeding a sporthorse or a racehorse, the principles are the same. Pedigree, good conformation with plenty of space for heart and lungs, athleticism, temperament, good feed and plenty of luck.

6. Best advice?

Best advice I have been given is “Listen to what the horse is trying to tell you.”

We want them to understand our language but I think we have to learn how to understand theirs first.

7. Favourite stallion/broodmare lines?

I dont have much experience of continental bloodlines and I am a thoroughbred fan, so I like to have at least 50% TB and that in the dam or sire. Ideally 75% but, as I mentioned, it is hard to find that traditional breeding with the other 25% a quality Irish Draught horse.

8. Favourite broodmare?

My favourite broodmare is Zenaide, who I used to ride a lot and trained to win her and my son Peter’s first race and my first win as a trainer too. She has turned out to be one of our best broodmares with many great winners.

9. Which would you prefer to breed – a Cheltenham or Badminton winner?

I would have said Cheltenham but now that has happened, so I would have to include Badminton. The odds are less but Lukas is still young. I keep dreaming. Camilla always said he is a Badminton horse.

10. Competition-wise, what are your hopes for 2021?

For everybody who has worked and trained so hard for it, whether we get there or not, I hope the Olympics will go ahead and the world will be safe for travelling again.