I’M from Gowran, Co Kilkenny, and have grown up around horses all my life. My father Michael Hutchinson and grandfather Tom were heavily involved in horses. My uncle John produced the famous stallion King of Diamonds, so breeding and young horses was always a tradition in the family.

I’m from a family of six, all of whom competed in their time at high standard, both at national and international level. All are still involved in horses to this day. My brother Michael runs Ballyquirke Stud standing numerous stallions from my original homeplace.

We run a transport business JVW Transport, run by my husband Jim and I’m involved in the day-to-day operations.

My son Vincent is an international show jumper who runs his equestrian business along with his wife Liz, buying and producing young horses through the Irish system from our family home in Shraugh, Gowran. Vincent and Liz have two children, Vincent (5) and Evelyn (10 months old).

My other son Wesley is involved in the transport business but also competes on the amateur circuit.

Gone Girl VB and Vincent Byrne, winners of the five-year-old 'Flexible’ National Championship at the 2023 Dublin Horse

Show \ Laurence Dunne Jumpinaction.net

1. Congratulations on a successful year with Gone Girl VB (Emerald van’t Ruythershof - Bellisimo). Tell us more about her year.

After finishing reserve champion at the RDS as a four-year-old and winning the Broodmare Futurity class, she started this year off at Vilamoura in Portugal where Gone Girl picked up many top placings in the five-year-old division.

On her return, she had a break and then qualified for the RDS on the first day out taking joint-first at Barnadown. She then went on to the studbook class at Mullingar and was joint-first in the five-year-olds. Following that, she went to the last leg of the studbook series at Tattersalls and won the five-year-old final.

The next show was Dublin and after an uncharacteristic fence down on day one, she came back on day two and took fifth place to book her spot in the final. She then went on to win the five-year-old championship in spectacular style in the main ring on Sunday morning. Following this result, she has been selected to go to Lanaken and we are hoping for a good result there.

And yes, she’s named after the film Gone Girl and her stable name is Emily, after the actress in the film!

2. Gone Girl VB is from a damline that’s served the Byrne family well. Tell us about this family.

We bought Mr Rockfeller (Ard VDL Douglas - Kings Aire, by Kings Servant), as a five-year-old when Vincent was just finishing in ponies and he proved to be a horse of a lifetime for Vincent. They started off winning age classes, including the National Championship in CoilÓg as a six-year-old and went on to become National Champions in 2014 and 2016.

We purchased Bellisimo (Cobra - Kings Aire) as a two-year-old purely because she was a half-sister to Mr Rockfeller. My son Wesley competed her as a young horse and was placed in the RDS young rider division when she was six.

We always planned to breed from her and in 2017 she had a filly by Ard VDL Douglas, a three-parts sister to Mr Rockfeller. We sold the filly and she’s still breeding in Ireland.

Vincent chose the stallion Emerald as he had always liked him due to his scope, athleticism and canter and he seems to produce nice foals.

3. Future plans for her?

We sold Emily at the start of last year to Lorraine MacGuinness, a client who trains and keeps her horses with Vincent. Lorraine had been looking to purchase a young horse and loved Emily, so we decided to sell her whilst knowing she wouldn’t be going too far.

Lorraine is enjoying being an owner and at the minute she plans to keep her with Vincent to be produced through the young horse classes in Ireland. After Emily qualified for the RDS this year, Lorraine and Vincent took an embryo, so now they’re hoping for a Carrera foal in June 2024.

After Lanaken, she’ll have a break and will come back into work early next year.

4. How many horses do you currently have?

Bellisimo is the only mare we have breeding at present and we currently have a four-year-old gelding by Canturano, who was recently placed in the Irish Breeders Classic four-year-old final.

We also have a two-year-old gelding by Rock & Roll, a yearling gelding by Livello and the mare is scanned in foal to Highway TN, who was recently10th in the European Championships.

5. How do you think Irish sport horse breeding has changed?

It has improved so much over the last number of years and the results speak for themselves. There are so many Irish horses currently competing at the top level.

Irish-bred horses produced through the young horse system here, such as Kilkenny, McGregor and CSF James Kann Cruz, are now competing all around the world at five-star level.

These results and horses are paramount to the riders based in Ireland producing young horses. It shows that it can be done, and not only that, but that our horses can compete with the best in the world.

6. It takes a team - who’s on yours?

We’re a family-oriented show jumping yard and breeding is a small part of what we do but we are very much enjoying it.

We are lucky to have great clients and staff members who all play their part in the business.

7. If you could have bred any horse, which one?

Big Star. It is the ultimate dream to have a horse compete at such a high level.

8. Do breeders get enough recognition?

Yes, there are so many good incentives at the moment, which are evolving all the time.

9. Best advice you ever got?

It costs the same to feed a bad one as it does to feed a good one.

10. Favourite pastime outside of horses and work?

To spend time with my family, especially my grandchildren, Vincey and Evelyn.