I HAVE lived in Co Wexford, Ireland for nearly 21 years. My first visit to Ireland was in my late teens, when a handsome young Irishman brought me here. Never did I imagine in my early 30s that we would meet again, get engaged and move our families to Ireland.

We built our home and business, Wexford Horse Lorries, which later became Wexford Horse Transport.

We also kept a couple of broodmares, who were successful in the showring; Rose Garland (Mr H VII - Croghan Mist) and Inistioge Best Betty (Ghareeb - Sally’s Pride, by Prospect Pride).

In 2014, Inistioge Best Betty’s breeder, Thomas Smyth, won the Horse Sport Ireland breeder award for the top show mare, after she won the Traditional Irish Horse Association (TIHA) Trophy at Limerick and a broodmare class at Dublin Horse Show that summer.

As most people know, devastatingly, I lost my beloved partner Nick, in a road accident in December 2015.

Times were tough and I continued with horse transport for another year before handing over the client list to another transporter.

I then found myself working fulltime with the horses and increased my broodmare herd and youngstock numbers.

I also got more involved with eventing in 2018, when I was introduced to a young event rider, Patrick Whelan, who evented my first horse, Miss Rose’s Reward (Financial Reward - Rose Garland), later sold to the British Army.

Another successful horse was Ballinglen Supreme (Financial Reward - Springfield Coda, by Power Blade. Breeder: Donal Goland), whom he qualified for the Potential Young Event horse final in the RDS.

From there, we have had continued success in producing young event horses and, currently, we have the 2025 Stepping Stones winner Tomgar Valour (Imnotafraid Fortuna - Overton Whitby, by Lansdown. Breeder: Walter Kent), who has qualified again for Dublin this year, in the five-year-old event horse class.

There’s also Lakelands Woody (Capri van Overis Z - Clarkes Shadow Jumper, by Creevagh Ferro. Breeder: Imelda Dillon) entered for the 4* in Millstreet later this month, with Blenheim and Boekelo in mind.

I bought Woody’s dam from Austin Quigley and she currently has a cracking colt foal at foot by Galileo Dance and is back in foal to him.

Also on the Dublin route is my home-bred, Lakelands Gucci (HHS Cornet - Glendale Skylark, by Kaiteur). He won the Newcastle West Show three-year-old potential event horse qualifier in Clonshire Equestrian Centre.

1.Proudest breeder moment?

I have so many, from keeping in touch with owners of my homebred or produced horses, but what gets me every time is when the foal is born and all is okay. When it goes wrong, the impact, both emotionally and financially, makes you question your madness in continuing to breed.

2. What’s your breeding goal?

My aim is to breed an athletic, blood type; correct model for eventing. Temperament is also very important and key for me when handling and rearing the foals to three years, as I am mostly on my own.

I have three thoroughbred mares, which are covered to performance foreign stallions and my sport horse mares to my thoroughbred, Galileo Dance.

Edward Flaherty leads Julie Radden’s Galileo Dance in the 2023 parade of thoroughbred stallions at the 2023 Dublin Horse Show. The following afternoon, the Galileo son won the Croker Cup championship \ Susan Finnerty

3. Tell us about the Croker Cup champion Galileo Dance?

I was in the right place at the right time in 2020 to purchase Galileo Dance (Galileo - Dance Secretary, by Danehill Dancer. Breeder: Charles E Fipke) as a four-year-old colt from Joseph O’Brien.

In 2021, he won the Stepping Stones final and overall league, having been reschooled by Patrick. In 2022, he went back to Patrick’s yard to event and was successful in winning three EI100s and clocking up several top-10 placings.

In 2023, he won the prestigious Croker Cup for thoroughbred stallions at Dublin Horse Show.

Back to Patrick again in early 2024, where again he won the Stepping Stones league and then went on to stud duties.

He has the most incredible temperament, I look after him daily, along with all my other horses, including my mares and foals.

4. Biggest challenge for horse breeders?

For me, increasing costs. My haylage alone has gone up by three euros a bale this year and then, the dreaded x-rays.

So many different opinions, maybe just look at the horse for the job!

5. Prefixes - your thoughts?

My prefix is now Lakelands, which I introduced three years ago. I should have got one sooner because traceability is easier and it’s also a great way to build on my breeding platform.

6. Internet - good or bad servant?

You can’t live without it. Everything is online now, whether registering foals, entering shows or selling horses, researching new products, stallions, performance history and even networking on Facebook or Instagram.

Gone are the days where a client would get in the car and travel to see your stock without seeing a photo or video first.

7. That famous horse you’d like to have bred?

Has to be the legendary show jumper, Milton.

8. It takes a team - who’s on yours?

It sure does and, without my family and good friends, none of this would be possible. In fact, when they are reading this, a much-deserved appreciation post goes out to my son Ben, who works full-time, but is always on hand when I need him; my good neighbour Sean Delaney is always there to help, my friend Ed Flaherty for showing the horses, Bobbi O’Brien and Jill Spring for looking after them and to Patrick for producing them.

My vets and farrier are also a great asset to my team.

9. Breeding horses - would you do it all over again?

I would. I am not from a farming or horse-related family, far from it, but from an early age, I had a passion and love for horses and it remains with me still.

10. Pineapple on your pizza?

Absolutely, yes and served with a glass of rosé with ice!