THE present-day Highfield Horses herd consists of Digby Dell (Kildaton Gold x The Conqueror); Highfield Glorious Gaze (Fintan Himself x Allen Rock); Highfield Finn Bell (Fintan Himself x Corran Ginger); a very rare bloodline mare: Highfield Mizen B (Mizen Gold x Blue Rajah); Highfield Dellabreeze (Ballyhoura Breeze x Kildalton Gold); Highfield Picture This (Shenandoah Prince Holly x Fintan Himself) and also Callows Ceili (Amorous Archie x Donovan), who won the Mare of the Future final in 2019.

1. Congratulations on breeding Highfield Tornado (Ballyhoura Breeze – Digby Dell), another of this year’s Class 1 stallions at Cavan and now owned by Paul O’Neill. Tell us about Highfield Tornado.

Highfield Tornado started out his winning career at the Wicklow Irish Draught show when he was judged first in his class by English judge Mark Fitton, who happened to also be at the stallion inspections in Cavan recently and was very proud of the foal’s achievement.

Highfield Tornado won the Irish Draught colt foal class at Dublin Horse Show in 2016 too and a couple of weeks later, he went on to win the Munster colt foal final at Bantry Show.

With his dam Digby Dell, the pair won the 50/50 combination class at Moate Agricultural Show from a strong class of 11 entries.

Highfield Tornado had the top marks of the day in the Irish Draught section at Cavan, consisting of 75 for conformation, 80 on type, 80 on walk and trot, and 82.5 for athleticism.

2. Why do you breed Irish Draughts?

It came from my grandmother Alice Sheerin-Molloy, who also bred Irish Draughts and this is where I first found my love for them.

3. Proudest moment as a breeder?

That day I won the colt foal class at the RDS in 2016 with my daughter Claire, who was showing Digby Dell. It was her first time to show in Dublin at the age of 16. Another was when I won a Hall of Fame award for breeding Irish Draughts.

4. Best advice you ever got?

The best advice I ever received was when you go to look for a horse, look for correct limbs, then look at the conformation and if it has a nice head, it’s a bonus. Then look at the pedigree and try to see that there is no inbreeding in three generations.

PJ and Claire Sheerin's home-bred Highfield Tornado at the 2022 stallion inspections \ Laurence Dunne Jumpinaction.net

5. Favourite broodmare, past or present?

Digby Dell, who came into my life in 2004 by accident. In 2007 she won 28 red rosettes, 14 supreme championships and 11 reserve championships. She bred two Balmoral winners in Highfield Silversnow and Highfield Finndell; one All Ireland ridden Draught champion, named Shanbally Willow and of course, Highfield Tornado.

We also have a full-sister to Highfield Tornado, she was born in 2018 and Claire is hoping to compete her this summer. Both are by the now-deceased stallion Ballyhoura Breeze, who stood with the late Damien and Mary Kenny in Wicklow.

At the age of 23, Digby Dell also produced a filly foal in 2021 by Carrickcottage Star.

6. What is your template of an Irish Draught?

When asked what I look for in an Irish Draught, I say I look for a nice head, good depth of girth, equally proportioned front, middle and hindquarters, correct limbs and with a short cannon bone.

Some of the modern horses are gone very long in the back, light of girth, long in their cannon bones and poor hind limbs.

7. It takes a team – who’s on yours?

My team consists of my wife Breda, my daughter Claire and my granddaughter, Katie Doyle. Claire helps to get the mares ready for shows by having them washed, trimmed and plaited and Katie has now taken on the role of handling youngstock and helping Claire.

Breda keeps the mares fed throughout the week and making sure each animal is cared for, especially when we are away at shows. Claire and Katie hunt the young horses throughout the winter and Claire also competes them throughout the summer in both show classes and performance classes.

8. What do you think are the greatest challenges facing Irish Draught breeders?

The biggest challenge I see at the moment is the lack of type, bone and conformation in both stallions and mares. You can’t compromise on type, bone, movement and athleticism. It seems the bigger the horse, the more problems that people face. The quality of legs has gone very poor with long cannons and bad hindlegs.

9. Describe your regime for keeping mares/youngstock.

Mares are wintered on stubble ground with hay, haylage and fed with oats and minerals for the last trimester. Natural grazing and minerals throughout the summer and mares are fed on stud nuts after foaling to gain back condition in order to go back in foal. Later on in the year, foals are gradually introduced to youngstock feed. Foals are attended by the farrier after they’re a month old to check for correctness and to keep their feet trimmed.

10. Any special memories?

The year I got second in Tullamore Agricultural Show out of a class of 18 mares. Millhollow Starlet won the class, I was second, Princess Grosvenor was third and Paul Mullins’ Grey Macha mare was fourth. It’s a day I always remember!

The judges that day were the Cookes from England who I had never met before and that class was possibly my biggest introduction to the big league. This was in 2006.

You don’t always have to win to enjoy the day!