CASTLEROCHE Sporthorses in Co Louth is a great example of one of the many small breeding operations that have become the backbone of Irish sport horse breeding.

Every year, for many years now, the lady behind Castleroche, Marie Quigley and her husband Michael, quietly produce three or four foals. All the handling, the long reining and training is done at home by Marie herself.

These days, once they are ready to be broken, Marie sends them to local rider Tom Ahearn and then the tough decision of which ones to sell as four-year-olds and which ones to hang on to begins.

“I began riding when I was about seven years old. My parents always had a few broodmares on the farm and I was pony mad and I was lucky that as I got older there was a few home-breds for me to ride,” she told The Irish Field while settling into the interview after a short delay spent trying to catch an unruly two-year-old who didn’t fancy coming in from the field.

“When I got married to Michael we moved about a mile and a half down the road to the farm we live in now. I’m a real home bird and love living in this area,” said Marie, who rode plenty of good horses in years gone by.

“I had a good bit of success myself on the national circuit with horses like Castleroche Red Alert, Castleroche Red October, Clever Boy, Camwal Diamond and Bilboa Beauty to name but a few. I rode Camwal Diamond to a fourth place finish in the Boomerang final in the ‘70s.

“I’m lucky to have had a lot of great days at shows with horses over the years. I loved the Boomerang classes and the latest Irish Horse Board classes are fantastic.

“If I had to name one I think my favourite show would have to be Millstreet. The atmosphere there is fantastic and you can always see the best of young horse competitions.”

In recent years, Marie has turned her focus to breeding and continued to produce them up to three-year-olds. “I’m getting on a bit now and I stopped riding competitively few years ago but I still enjoy breeding and producing the horses up to three years old as much as I ever did.

“Last year a guy tried to steal my jeep from the yard and I jumped in front of it to stop him; he knocked me down so that put me out of action for a while, but I’m back now with four three-year-olds in as well as several yearlings, two-year-olds and foals.”

Home-breds

Marie sends her older horses to nearby friend and show jumper John Floody, who produces them on the circuit.

“My first broodmare was Castleroche Monica she is one of the youngest Clover Hill mares still alive and she has produced some lovely horses over the years. She produced Castleroche Rebel, a mare by Metropole that had some great results as a seven-year-old in the Irish Sport Horse Studbook classes under John Floody last year and has just moved up to Grand Prix level.

“I have high hopes for her and when she will make a great broodmare eventually to continue the dam line.

“John does a great job with the horses when they are older. I’ve known him for years and he produces the horses properly and allows them to develop well.

“Another of our horses that is doing well is Castleroche Star. She is by Ramiro B, out of our mare Castleroche Andora who is by Out of Touch. He is currently eventing at quite a high level under Scottish rider Pollyanna Smith who has high hopes for him.

“I also bred the Grand Prix horse Bronson de Reve who recorded impressive results with John (Floody) and was sold to the UK.

“At the moment I have four three-year-olds in getting ready to go to Tom Ahearn for breaking in next year. Castleroche Andy Sixteen is by Colandro out of Castleroche Andora; Castleroche Rascal is a mare by Cobra 18 out of Lissyegan Cruise Royale; Castlerock Katie Sixteen is a mare also by Cobra 18 out of Castleroche Monica; and Castleroche Easter Sixteen is by Tolan R out of Castleroche Miami (by Aldatus Z).

“The plan is too send them on to Tom (Ahern) to break in and then either sell them as four-year-olds or maybe keep one or two of them to progress further and maybe breed from.

“I have a couple of yearlings this year I am especially excited about, one is a gelding by Exquis Power Fee, out of Lissyegan Cruise Royale, and the other is a filly also by Exquis Power Fee out of Castleroche Andora. They are both lovely and I think could be something special for the future.”

Marie shows no signs of slowing down, so it seems safe to say that the supply of Irish sport horses bearing the Castleroche prefix will continue for many years to come.