I am from Castleisland, Co Kerry, and have grown up with horses all my life. My love for horses came from my father Donal, he was a doctor but he also had grown up with horses in his life and had a huge passion for them.

He loved show jumpers and became great friends with a well-known, colourful character in the horse business, Sean O’Shaughnessy from Askeaton, Co Limerick. He trusted his judgement and most of our horses at that time came through Sean, as did Sliabh Luachra, the mother of Mr Medicott. I jumped her in novice classes up to when she was a six-year-old and she was a lovely, quality mare.

At this time my mother Margaret was starting our family business, Crag Cave, in Castleisland. The cave had been discovered under our family farm in 1983 and herself and my father decided to develop it and open it as a show cave. This took a number of years and as we were all heavily involved in its development as a visitor attraction, the horses had to take a backseat for a while and so we decided to breed Sliabh Luachra.

1. Mr Medicott - a horse of a lifetime for many of his connections. Tell us about his background.

Mr Medicott was born in 1999 and he was originally called Crag Cave Sliabh Luachra. He was by Cruising and the dam Sliabh Luachra was by Edmund Burke. He was a striking foal, a very athletic looking chesnut with white socks. My father was very fond of him and spent endless time with him in the stable as a young horse.

He was broken by Sean O’Shaughnessy as a three, rising four-year-old and was brought on by Francis Connors as a four-year-old. As a five-year-old we sold him at the sales in Goresbridge and we knew no more until we heard he was competing in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 with Frank Ostholt. He won a team gold medal for Germany at that Olympics.

Unfortunately my father passed away in 2006, sadly without the knowledge of his success. He would have been immensely proud and it would most definitely have been a dream come true for him to see his horse win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Frank Ostholt and Mr Medicott at Boekelo CCIO 3* in 2007 \ Julia Rau Hindenburgstraße

2. Castleisland has another claim to fame for breeding famous horses.

David Broome had a very good horse when I was growing up called Mr Ross (Carnival Night) and he was bred by a neighbour of ours called Michael Loughlin. Another man with a great passion for breeding horses.

3. Proudest breeder moment?

In 2012, Mr Medicott competed in the London Olympics with Karen O’Connor on the US team and I was lucky enough to see him on the cross-country day in Greenwich Park. He went on to become the number one-ranked event horse, was the United States Eventing Association’s Horse of the Year and he also brought the Irish Sport Horse studbook to number one in the world rankings that year in eventing.

The proud breeders who produced some of the horsepower for the Irish and US teams at the 2012 London Olympic Games: L-R: Michael Doyle & his mother, Phyllis (centre), Enniscorthy, who bred Master Crusoe (IRL); Donal Geaney, Castleisland, whose late father Donal snr. bred dual Olympic horse, Mr Medicott (Germany/USA); Jimmy Ryan, Clonmel, who bred Electric Cruise (IRL) and Adrian Bourke, Ballina, who bred Ringwood Magister (USA) \ Susan Finnerty

4. How many mares and foals do you have?

At the moment we have four mares, by Balou du Rouet, Kanshebber, Comilfo Plus Z and Chacoon Blue.

In youngstock, we have two Vivant colts, an Emerald, a Comilfo Plus Z, a Pegase van’t Ruytershof and a Dakar VDL.

We generally aim to produce them ourselves and then sell them on as four or five-year-olds.

5. You spent last week at Gestüt Sprehe and Lanaken. Highlights?

Last week en-route to Lanaken I visited my son Jack, who is working as a rider at Gestüt Sprehe and I was delighted to get to see Stakkato Gold, the sire of silver medallist Laurina, who is at stud there.

We had a great few days in Lanaken and it was absolutely fantastic to see the Irish doing so well and bringing home the medals.

6. It takes a team - who’s on yours?

Crag Cave is our family business and my wife Lisa and I run that. We have four children and are lucky that they are all equally passionate about horses. They all started riding and show jumping at a young age and would like to pursue a career in horses.

Dan, the eldest, is in America and working at Pine Hollow Farm which is managed by David Blake. We have been lucky to have had Michael Blake as their trainer in show jumping since they were all in 12.2 ponies and he is always a great support to them. During the summer, whilst at a show in Virginia, Dan was delighted to get the opportunity to go and see Mr Medicott.

Jack, as mentioned earlier, is in Germany with Gestüt Sprehe, Conor is managing the yard at home and Ciara, the youngest, is still in school, riding ponies and horses.

7. If you could have bred any horse?

Boomerang, Eddie Macken’s horse. He was such a superstar when I was growing up.

8. Do breeders get enough recognition?

Yes, I think the recognition for breeders has really improved.

9. Best advice you ever got?

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.”

10. Any other hobbies outside of horses?

I love rugby and would love to have more time to follow Munster.