IT’s one of those rare shoebox finds – a black and white photograph of Prefairy standing outside a namesake premises on Toomevara’s main street, held by a young Matthew O’Meara. “That’s him, that’s Prefairy. And me with the big head of hair!” he said, laughing.

Another recent discovery was one of the original Prefairy studcards. “His fee was £100 for thoroughbred mare and £50 for a half-bred mare and if you had a nomination from the Department, that was worth £25,” said the eldest O’Meara son, who, with the help of younger brother John, took over running the stallion business on the family farm at an early age after their father Jim passed away.