BACK in 1988, and up until 2000, Philip White decided to stand stallions at Maddybenny, welcoming first to the Co Antrim farm the French thoroughbred Roi Guillaume, a listed-winning son of the influential Busted, and the Connemara Canal Cormac (by Thunderbolt).

These were followed several years later by another Connemara, Crosskeys Rebel, who was show jumped by Philip and Eavan’s son Jack for two seasons. During his time at Maddybenny, the Island Lad dun sired the wonderful Portersize Just A Jiff who Camila Speirs competed at Pony Club level right up to the 2012 London Olympics.

Speirs and the diminutive 2000 bay gelding also represented Ireland at the World Equestrian Games of 2010 and 2014 and in European championships at Junior (2006 and 2007), Young Rider (2008 and 2009) and Senior (2011 and 2015) level. Their record in CCI4* events in 2016, a year before the horse was retired, included a sixth-place finish at Pau while they were ninth earlier in the season at Badminton.

Philip bred Portersize Just A Jiff out of Mizen Talent (by Mizen Melody) whose first seven foals, from 1991 to 1998, were registered with Weatherbys. ‘Jif’ was the first of two foals out of the mare by Crosskeys Rebel while others of her Irish Sport Horse-registered progeny included Reminiscent (2003 gelding by Western Promise), who competed up to CCI2* level with New Zealand’s Jonelle Price, Fabregas (2004 mare by Rockrimmon Senator), a Grade B mare jumped by Philip, and the elsewhere-mentioned Texan Style.

“We sold Jif to Richard Bourns at Cavan sales as a three-year-old and, much to our surprise, saw him jumping with Camilla in Galway the following year in an 148cms class,” recalls Philip’s wife, Eavan. “We followed his career closely since then and were delighted to be present to see him compete in the Junior European Championships at Necarne as a six-year-old and on his retirement tour in 2018.

“We have several nice youngsters here at present, including three out of Fabregas, and Philip, ever the optimist, says the best is yet to come!”