GALWAY’s Ivor and Olive Broderick, the owners of Watermill Swatch, the most popular thoroughbred sire here in recent years, have paid a heartfelt tribute to the late stallion.

And by happenstance, Daphne Tierney’s home-bred Bloomfield Watergate was the Kylemore Stud’s second winner of the prestigious All Ireland three-year-old final at Bannow and Rathangan just the previous week.

This followed the M.J Kavanagh-bred Bloomfield Waterside’s win there five years ago.

Watermill Swatch, foaled in 1999, was bred at Watermolen Stud by the famous Dutch breeder and vet Jan Greve.

“We were building up our stallion roster when we first went to Watermolen. Actually we were in Holland to see Womanizer, who we bought on that same trip from Paul Hendrix,” Olive recalled.

“We called by Jan as Ivor was friends with him. Swatch had just been approved by the KWPN, following the 70-day performance test, (something I think no other thoroughbred stallion has ever done before or since).

“When we first saw Swatch, we both agreed he was the most beautiful, elegant stallion with enormous movement.

“It was funny really as after seeing both, we loved both, and so not having the price of either, Ivor rang the bank manager at 10pm that night!

“It was around 2006 and at that time, they were throwing out money! Ivor mentioned the price of Womanizer, and said we saw one more we loved, and of course he said, ‘Go ahead, buy both!’

“It was a bit nuts and looking back, we were either very brave or very foolish, or a bit of both, but it all worked out in the end! We spent a wonderful evening with Jan, in the restaurant that was Voltaire’s stable, and the deal was done.

“Jan bred him, and was so proud to be in the RDS when he won the Croker Cup! And we put down another great evening with Jan at Johnny Fox’s.”

Dublin winners

That was in 2008 when Watermill Swatch won the thoroughbred stallion class at Dublin Horse Show and since then several of his progeny have won at Dublin.

These include Mossy (Watermill Swatch - Carrickrock Star Lass, by Annaghdown Star), Trudi Deja’s supreme hunter champion in 2017. One of those now rare needle-in-a-haystack heavyweights bred on thoroughbred-Irish Draught lines, he was bred in Cree, Co. Clare by Tim and Margaret Kelly.

Anthony Kelly bred another Banner County future Dublin champion in Ballingowan Harmony, winner of the working hunter championship in 2015 for Ann O’Grady and later exported to an eventing home in the U.S.A.

Other Watermill Swatch eventing offspring include the five-star Dutch-bred Cleveland, placed in the top-20 at Badminton with New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell and four-star campaigners; Cooley Timepiece (Breeder: Rachel Sterling), HHF Elegance (Harthill Stud) and Master Swatch (Olga Scully).

Another notable from the 514 Watermill Swatch foals registered to date with Horse Sport Ireland include the Balmoral champion and Royal International Horse Show winner, Bloomfield Eloquence, one more bred by MJ Kavanagh.

Watermill Swatch’s thoroughbred son KMS Timeless also stands at Kylemore Stud, near Loughrea.

“Swatch’s kindness, his willingness to please was second to none. He had not one ounce of badness in him, he was extremely sensitive, and gave his total trust to his human friends,” added Olive.

“We respected every part of his personality and he rewarded us in so many ways.

“And I guess a little part of our hearts died with him.”