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Everybody has their wishlist – Badminton, Burghley, the Golden Button, even the Olympics, they’re all on mine.
Originally, I had my heart set on racing and got my licence at 16. At 18 I wanted to go abroad, so I went to work for Lucy Wiegersma.
I won a point-to-point with Clew Bay Cove, who was trained by Colm Murphy for JP McManus. I ran him in two or three points-to-points, then we won at 200-1 and I sold him after that.
I bought Ballycahane Flower Power from Danny and Michelle Dulohery in Kilguilkey, I started her out show jumping at Charleville – I’d bring all the youngsters to agricultural shows to do showing and working hunter classes.
I’ve done Pau and Badminton with her and Badminton was the best so far.
I never thought I’d get her to four-star, you could fight ‘Flower’ all day long, she can be very tricky in dressage and show jumping – but she is a super mare.
After we went to Pau, I said ‘I don’t care what I have to do, I have to get to Badminton next’ and it was me, my girlfriend Felicity [Ward] and Dad [Gerald] heading off there, leaving Mum [Carol] and my two younger brothers in charge at home.
I was happy with the dressage because ‘Flower’ didn’t stop and look around!
You had to be brave and have your wits about you for cross-country but she just flew around with three shoes after losing one at an early fence.
She was slipping away but kept going. You could point her at anything but there was only half of them getting home, so I took a few sensible options.
Even though she cantered into the ring sideways for the show jumping, she was fine when she settled and jumped her socks off.
The atmosphere was great, they really look after you at Badminton. I was standing only 50 yards away from Andrew Nicholson when Oli Townend rugby tackled him to the ground when he [Andrew] won!
Ballycahane Silver Vixen
My brother Tristan rode Ballycahane Silver Vixen up to one-star, then he suffered an injury playing rugby so I took over her.
‘Vixen’ was everything he said she was, she doesn’t ride like an Irish Draught and goes 0-60 like a racehorse.
She won a one-star and placed every single time. ‘Vixen’ was third in a broodmare class at Limerick where they have the traditional horse classes.
Even if you’re fourth or fifth in those classes, the prize money is still better than in some international events, then she was third in Dublin in the Irish Draught performance final with a pole down.
The judge said: “If you had not had a pole down, you’d have won.”
I had high hopes for her at two and three-star level, then she had an easy winter last year after an injury.
If you have a mare, they still have a purpose, so the week of Camphire, I dropped her and ‘Flower’ down to be covered on the same day by Pointilliste, Barbara Hatton’s horse.
They’re both out now with rugs on and we’ll see what they foal in June, then maybe I’ll show them with their foals.
Traditional breeding
I’m a big fan of traditional breeding but it’s quite hard to get traditional horses, some people can bump up the price just because it’s a traditional horse.
All the horses I’ve ever bought have been bought for handy money. The horse I brought to Le Lion d’Angers [Ballycahane Lucy, by Harlequin du Carel] was bought for €300, otherwise she was going to the factory after the farmer that owned her had passed away.
You can pick them up very cheap, but why do so many people send horses to the factory?
Some horses you have to give them time, then it all adds up, shoes, feed, entry fees so I suppose you have to cut your losses and sell.
Dad is a beef farmer and spring is when everything is happening on the farm with calving.
We also hold a few Eventing Ireland events, Try Eventing, Pony Club and show jumping here.
You can’t hold them without volunteers. We depend on volunteers and we’re very grateful for every volunteer we have, we couldn’t do it without them.
The golden button
Growing up in Crecora, Co Limerick, you were surrounded by horses.
Shane Carey was just a mile down the road, our neighbours are the Flavins. Billy is a very good horseman and won a lot, the McNamaras; Andrew, John Thomas and the studs, like Martinstown.
We were always heavily involved with the Limerick Harriers and had a lawn meet on 29 December.
If I was to do a show, I’d pick a young fit fellow like myself to ride the 40 or 50 horses, then have someone like Billy Flavin judging with you, that’s the way I think it should go.
Or I think it’s great what they do at Charleville, bringing over judges from England.
I would like to judge actually. I’d have my own opinion but first, I’m looking for a horse for the Ledbury Hunt’s Golden Button challenge in England on 10 February.
Dominic Furnell was in conversation with Susan Finnerty.
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