Out of a herd of never more than six broodmares, Judy Murphy has farm-bred six 1.60m and three 1.45m jumpers and a CSI4* eventer amongst many others competing over 1.35m. Compare that to breeders operating with mare numbers in the hundreds; you’d be hard-pushed to find too many with results as good.

Judy is undoubtedly a woman who believes in quality over quantity. In January, Java’s Miss Jordan ISH (Luidam – Ally Angel x OBOS Quality) got hearts racing as she won the $137,000 1.55m FEI Brown Advisory Grand Prix CSI3* in the US with Ireland’s Nicky Galligan.

Javas Miss Jordan is the most successful out of Judy’s three horses currently in competition, with €210,000 in winnings.

Helen Sharp (HS): Let’s start by getting to the very heart of it; why do you breed horses?

Judy Murphy (JM): I’m passionate about my horses, and I enjoy every moment. You know you’re hooked when the first thing you think of in the morning is your horses, and you spend so much of your time in your stables or across the fields. My horses are one of the last things I think of every night.

HS: Vets have played a vital role in your progress, and you have always championed trailblazer repro vets, including John Hughes, who sadly passed away very recently.

JM: John was a genius! He used to have a shower set up at the side of a crush; he’d be scanning with one hand and be smoking a cigar with the other. I owe a lot to him and to all the vets I’ve worked with.

HS: In the beginning, your choice of stallions was contentious, and you weathered stand-up rows over your use of the foreign horse. You saw it as a logical decision, though, didn’t you?

JM: When I first saw Cavalier Royale, I saw in him so many positives that would mix well with our sound, solid Irish horse.

HS: What advice would you give to anyone starting in breeding?

JM: I would encourage people starting to do their research and find what types/breeds they actually like. What exactly do you want to breed, and for what market?

There are all sorts of levels in equestrianism, so think about what you’re doing and do it right. Having said that, my favourite expression to people always is still, ‘Aim high and reach for the stars!’

HS: What common mistakes do you think people make when they begin to breed horses?

JM: They possibly rush in and may not research enough into their own dam lines or families. They don’t take a good hard, objective look at what they actually have. How can they improve their herd, what can they add to them?

HS: You have a lovely big field in front of the house where you like to keep the expectant mares in spring as they approach foaling. Your mares seem to share a secret with you, having almost all produced top performers. Mares such as Octane d’Orcival (Kannan – Tanagra van ter Moude D’10 x Capitol II) bred 1.60m Double T (Java’s Foreign Affair) by Lux Z and Celtic Tiger (Clover Hill – Culmore Bay x Penistone xx) produced 1.60m Javas Keltic Mist by Ard VDL Douglas. It doesn’t stop at show jumping either, as Porsch Spice produced Javas Spice ISH by Poltarf, who has evented at CCI-S 4* level. Can you share your recipe for happy, healthy mares?

JM: Keep it all as natural as possible. Green grass, well-fed and, most importantly, loved!

HS: Who do you have your eye on as your next favourite sire and why?

JM: I study stallions constantly; I love to see them up and coming (not saying I always get it right). I have some exciting youngsters by Poker de Mariposa, Don VHP, Grandurado, Pegase can’t Ruytershof, Kassander van’t Rosakker, Kentucky, and I’m Special de Muze.

Thankfully we have some fantastic stallions on home soil here in Ireland too.

This gives breeders plenty of opportunities and choices to breed quality from their mares.

HS: Why do you think prices in Ireland for youngstock are often much lower than on the continent?

JM: Something I could never comprehend, as we have horses from top breeders in the top 10 of the world!

For such a small nation, this does need to change to justify our efforts. Our breeders need to be paid respectfully and competitively in line with the results we achieve.

HS: Who do you admire as a breeder? Is there someone who you think is exceptionally talented?

JM: To be honest, I admire all our top Irish breeders, especially with the little Government support we get.

It is a passion that drives us to do what we do.

HS: Who is your favourite horse you’ve ever bred, and why?

JM: We had mother and daughter ponies on the English and Irish national team in the one year: Java’s Alun and Java’s Ladybug.

I didn’t know which country to be in! It was phenomenal! Both of them were coloured, which made it even better, as I do adore coloureds!

There was a massive teams competition on in Millstreet the same year, and both ponies were there. Something I will never forget, I even stayed the whole week!

But then there was Java’s Wild Child [internationally successful 1.60m jumper with renowned riders Robert Whitaker and also Jessie Drea], Georgie B and then Celtic Mist, who brought us to our first Nations Cup. There were so many dream horses who achieved outstanding results.

I have enjoyed all my horses. Through the years, I’ve one thing that always stays with me, though, it is all the young, wonderful people that passed through our yard and experienced my horses! These were the most wonderful moments in our lives.

Foaling cameras

Judy once told me the story of her first set of foaling cameras and it’s worth sharing again as it has made me laugh many times since. She was always ahead of the game and she bought a set of foaling cameras when they were first developed, to hook up to the TV at home:

She says: “I thought I was the bees’ knees! The cameras were all set up in the shed so we could see the images of the mare live onto our old analogue living room telly.

We had it tuned into channel 100-and-something, and as I sat with a cup of tea safe in the knowledge I could see everything the mare was doing, the house phone rang, then rang again and again ... as it turned out, not only could I watch my expectant mare, but so could the entire neighbourhood because the images were coming through on every channel, on every TV in the area!”