BALLINASISLA Stud, the Co Waterford home of well-known sport horse brand Bonmahon Sport Horses, has been involved in the equine industry for over 50 years. Successful stallions such as Bronti (Shining Crown x Nordlys) stood here since the stud was established by my father Francis.

Many breeders throughout the south-east are well familiar with travelling to Bonmahon where stallions stood for years and where a large stock of frozen semen is also kept from some of the world’s leading show jumping, eventing and standardbred stallions.

From the Bronti mare Bonhamon Belle, Francis bred Coolcorran Cool Diamond (Glidawn Diamond), the first horse successful for him on the world stage with Robert Splaine. Another successful show jumper he bred was Jokers Girl (Slyguff Joker), the first horse Clem McMahon bought at the start of his career.

More recently, the stallion Bonmahon Master Blue (Mister Blue), bred by Alan Robertson and purchased as a yearling from Joe O’Sullivan, kept up the stud’s name through his own performance with the Army Equitation School and his progeny, regularly seen at Irish sales.

1. Congratulations on breeding Bonmahon Chelsea, the six-year-old bronze medallist at the WBFSH championships at Le Lion d’Angers. Your proudest moment?

Yes, I think so, definitely the first horse to have achieved what he has. We’ve built up a good friendship with his rider Rebecca Chiappero through this horse and she purchased a Herald III two-year-old from me this year that she will board with us. She also called as soon as she knew the Le Lion result which was a really nice touch.

All these things combined make what he achieved all the more special. He was bought for Rebecca by Irish-based Italian agent Enrico Pedroni. Enrico has been in Ireland since his student days, bought many horses from my father over the last 50 years and has retired to live in Co Waterford.

2. Tell us about Bonmahon Chelsea.

His dam Bonmahon Ramiro Star (Ramiro B) was sourced from Cavan sales for only €600. She had a super step and was bred initially to our own Master Blue. About six years ago, when we began to dabble with the idea of using frozen semen, we imported some straws from the Zangersheide stallion Chellsini Z.

Up to this point we hadn’t really worked with frozen straws, so we’re very glad our first ‘experiment’ has worked out so well. The rest is history and Chelsea has been a phenomenal success as has our frozen semen experience!

3. Waterford is renowned for breeding show jumpers?

Ambassador won an Olympic gold medal with Graziano Mancinelli; Bellevue and Gone Away (Raimondo D’Inzeo), Barrymore (Diana Connolly-Carew), Abbeville (Nelson Pessoa) and David Broome’s Manhattan were all horses bred within a few miles from our stud and all by the wonderful stallion Nordlys.

Bonmahon Belle was by Bronti and Bronti’s dam was by Nordlys. Cruising is out of the Nordlys mare Mullacrew, bred by horse show judge Jim Finnegan, one of the furthest to travel to Nordlys, a worthwhile result.

Coolcorran was a great servant for Robert Splaine. They really formed a great partnership and old clips of them jumping still bring back great memories.

Mill Girl, Jokers Girl’s dam, came from the late show jumper Michael Moran who had sourced her from Noel C. Duggan. She was by Artic Que. Michael’s granddaughter Robyn is now very successful on the Irish scene.

Joker’s Girl was sold at Goresbridge sales to a young Clem for IR£3,500, the highest price that day.

4. Breeding horses – more profitable then or now?

Back in those days it really was more of a hobby. The numbers of horses were smaller, costs were lower and there wasn’t many, if any, real commercial breeders. Most breeders couldn’t travel very far with their mares and encompassed much more of what we now call hobby breeders.

The world has moved on and the levels of professionalism today takes things to a different level; courses are more technical, riders better trained, etc.

5. Tell us about Ballinasisla Stud’s boarding business.

We board probably an equal number of sporthorses and horses for the racing (TBs and trotters) world. The mix really works well for the farm. Our client base is Swedish, Italian, Belgian and Irish.

We can start foaling and breeding thoroughbreds from January. Their season is almost finished by April when we start then with the sporthorse boarders which normally finishes sometime in August.

Some 90% of our boarding clients are from outside Ireland but we are always interested in working with clients in Ireland for all year-round boarding of mares and youngstock. This is an area which has increased this year.

Our sporthorse and trotter clients really like the fact that their mares don’t need to leave the farm for insemination, foaling and sales prep. This, combined with the benefits of rearing horses in Ireland’s temperate climate and our own experience, has made it a popular option for breeders.

6. Stand stallions/continue with A.I.? We didn’t stand any stallions in 2021 for the first time in many, many years. It’s a busy time of the year and we needed to focus on our boarding business and the ever-growing number of clients choosing to use frozen semen.

I believe, unless a stallion really has the quality needed and can be commercial, it’s a waste of everyone’s time otherwise.

While nothing is definite yet, we’re excited about a three-year-old 148cms pony stallion from France that I recently purchased. He looks a bit special and so maybe in the near future we’ll be standing stallions again!

7. It takes a team –who’s on yours?

It definitely takes a team in this job. Our foaling and breeding seasons are long ones and foaling cameras are watched 24 hours a day, which can tests everyone’s resolve at times!

Horses are 365/24/7 and that’s the reality when you work with young foals and frozen semen, etc. My wife Kizzy and parents Eileen and Francis all play a part in keeping the wheels turning on this farm.

We employ two full-time staff from the locality and up to four during peak breeding season, combined with several part-time weekend staff. Everyone is vital, and like any job, it’s very much results-driven.

Our ultimate aim is to have healthy, strong foals and horses for our clients.

8. Bonmahon is your prefix. Do you think sponsors/owners should change a horse’s registered name?

Personally, I really appreciate when they don’t but it’s a business.

I do appreciate though that if they have sponsors willing to invest in the sport, they may need to do so. Also, dealers and producers who change prefixes do so as horses become a part of their brand, which can add to the horse’s value as these brands invest a lot of time promoting themselves.

I’ve spoken to clients and brands like Cooley, MBF, Fernhill, Kilbunny, etc., are all internationally recognisable. They don’t breed horses but encompass the positives of Irish-bred/produced horses.

The reality is most breeders don’t turn over the numbers to establish their names on the international markets or enhance the worldwide reputation of the Irish horse. These guys do.

It’s a bit like the saying: a rising tide lifts many boats!

9. If a horse’s name is changed, should a fee also be paid to the breeder?

That’s probably the most logical suggestion I’ve heard on this debate so far.

10. Any changes you would like to see in the Irish breeding industry?

Irish breeders have and always been I believe the best in the world. For a while I think we lost our way in show jumping but every year the standard and quality of foals I see is better. I’d like to think we will see the results in the next few years at the very top level.

I’d really like to see more and more breeders’ prizes introduced for winners of age classes, RDS, WBFSH championships, Premier and National Grand Prix classes, etc.

I think the current incentives such as the thoroughbred percentage, embryo transfer, breaking schemes, etc., are helpful, but if the breeders’ prizes were substantial enough, breeders would self-motivate and raise the bar themselves.

At the moment, once you sell a good young horse all that’s left to keep you interested is the honour and glory!