Some can do it, but I know how’ was an oft-used phrase by the late Pat Cash, and indeed he did know how. A successful horse dealer by trade, Pat also diversified into the foster mare market.
Here he built up a thriving business, providing an on-call emergency service for breeders both nationally and internationally.
Pat was a friend to many, and a proud family man. There is no doubt that Pat has passed his sharp wit, business acumen and instinctive way with horses on to his children, and his daughter Deirdre continues to use these attributes to great effect.
Deirdre is based in Durrow, Co Laois with her husband Roy Seale and their daughter Isabelle, and from here they run the successful equine haulage business, Seale Transport.
Buying horses
“Growing up, everyone in the family took part in everything. Myself and my three brothers were given a lot of responsibility at a young age, often travelling to studs with the foster mares and getting them settled with the foals.
“When it came to buying horses, we were encouraged to be sharp and to act as eyes on the ground for Dad at the sales. Whatever you saw, you marked it in the catalogue. We developed a good eye, fairly early on,” Deirdre explains.
“Looking after our clients well was a key part of our business. We were selling a lot of horses to Italian and Swiss clients, and when they came over, we made sure that it was a positive and enjoyable experience for them.
"This is something that has stayed with me, and it remains an important part of our business ethos with Seale Transport.”
Deirdre developed a keen interest in playing polo, and she became a member of the Moyne Polo Club in Laois. Here she met her eventual husband, Roy. “He gave me a leg up on to one of my ponies, and the rest is history,” laughs Deirdre.
Coloured mare
Blood may be thicker than water, but Pat made no exceptions – even for his daughter – when it came to sourcing prospective polo ponies. “Dad bought a chestnut gelding that he thought might do. I was absolutely outraged when he charged me £400 for the horse!
"I had no idea how to train a polo pony, so I watched a Claire Tomlinson video and I figured it out.”
Pat then purchased a job lot of horses from Mountrath Mart. Amongst them was a coloured mare. Pat presented the horse to Deirdre: “He asked me, ‘what do you think of her?’ My answer was ‘not much’.
"He told me she was a polo pony, but I didn’t believe him. The next morning, I found my brother Brian stick-and-balling the mare. I wanted to buy her. Dad charged me £2,500. Lesson learned!!"
Deirdre and Isabelle Seale at the Dressage Ireland National Championships in 2019. Isabelle competed in the Trailblazers final, riding Adamo. \ Christa Dillon
Everything changed in 2003, when Pat tragically passed away. The family dynamic shifted, and the farm and the horses were eventually sold.
During this time, Deirdre found comfort and support from her uncle Miley, and from Roy’s family. “Websites were a relatively new thing back then. Uncle Miley gave myself and Brian a loan, and we set up the Clononeen Farm website and business.
“Traditional Irish Cobs were selling well abroad, particularly in America. We were able to create opportunity in a niche market. At our height, we had 44 horses from our farm on one flight to New York. A week later, we sent 12 to California. We were just in the right place at the right time.”
Equine transport
The collapse of the Celtic Tiger meant a change of direction. Deirdre and Roy relocated to England, where they set up a yard selling quality sports horses.
They also began to move into equine transport, and over time, this became their main business focus. Relocating to Laois, Deirdre and Roy set up Seale Transport, and they welcomed their daughter Isabelle into the world.
“We are always moving forward. We offer a uniquely high standard of care to the horses that travel with us. We are continually upgrading and improving. We have had everything thrown at us COVID-19, Brexit, EHV1, but we always come through.”
Seale Transport regularly sponsors classes at shows, and the company also offers a youth scheme which allows younger riders to group together for travel and competition abroad.
“We want to make things possible for people. Dad did so much to encourage everyone, especially young people getting started. It matters.”
Isabelle (14) also enjoys competing. Brian’s family relocation from America to Sligo means that brother, sister, cousins and ponies are regularly seen together at shows all around the country.
“The best bits of the industry are the connections, and the people. It really is very special and unique. It is wonderful to be a part of it all.” The apple certainly didn’t fall too far from the tree.
Some can do it, but I know how’ was an oft-used phrase by the late Pat Cash, and indeed he did know how. A successful horse dealer by trade, Pat also diversified into the foster mare market.
Here he built up a thriving business, providing an on-call emergency service for breeders both nationally and internationally.
Pat was a friend to many, and a proud family man. There is no doubt that Pat has passed his sharp wit, business acumen and instinctive way with horses on to his children, and his daughter Deirdre continues to use these attributes to great effect.
Deirdre is based in Durrow, Co Laois with her husband Roy Seale and their daughter Isabelle, and from here they run the successful equine haulage business, Seale Transport.
Buying horses
“Growing up, everyone in the family took part in everything. Myself and my three brothers were given a lot of responsibility at a young age, often travelling to studs with the foster mares and getting them settled with the foals.
“When it came to buying horses, we were encouraged to be sharp and to act as eyes on the ground for Dad at the sales. Whatever you saw, you marked it in the catalogue. We developed a good eye, fairly early on,” Deirdre explains.
“Looking after our clients well was a key part of our business. We were selling a lot of horses to Italian and Swiss clients, and when they came over, we made sure that it was a positive and enjoyable experience for them.
"This is something that has stayed with me, and it remains an important part of our business ethos with Seale Transport.”
Deirdre developed a keen interest in playing polo, and she became a member of the Moyne Polo Club in Laois. Here she met her eventual husband, Roy. “He gave me a leg up on to one of my ponies, and the rest is history,” laughs Deirdre.
Coloured mare
Blood may be thicker than water, but Pat made no exceptions – even for his daughter – when it came to sourcing prospective polo ponies. “Dad bought a chestnut gelding that he thought might do. I was absolutely outraged when he charged me £400 for the horse!
"I had no idea how to train a polo pony, so I watched a Claire Tomlinson video and I figured it out.”
Pat then purchased a job lot of horses from Mountrath Mart. Amongst them was a coloured mare. Pat presented the horse to Deirdre: “He asked me, ‘what do you think of her?’ My answer was ‘not much’.
"He told me she was a polo pony, but I didn’t believe him. The next morning, I found my brother Brian stick-and-balling the mare. I wanted to buy her. Dad charged me £2,500. Lesson learned!!"
Deirdre and Isabelle Seale at the Dressage Ireland National Championships in 2019. Isabelle competed in the Trailblazers final, riding Adamo. \ Christa Dillon
Everything changed in 2003, when Pat tragically passed away. The family dynamic shifted, and the farm and the horses were eventually sold.
During this time, Deirdre found comfort and support from her uncle Miley, and from Roy’s family. “Websites were a relatively new thing back then. Uncle Miley gave myself and Brian a loan, and we set up the Clononeen Farm website and business.
“Traditional Irish Cobs were selling well abroad, particularly in America. We were able to create opportunity in a niche market. At our height, we had 44 horses from our farm on one flight to New York. A week later, we sent 12 to California. We were just in the right place at the right time.”
Equine transport
The collapse of the Celtic Tiger meant a change of direction. Deirdre and Roy relocated to England, where they set up a yard selling quality sports horses.
They also began to move into equine transport, and over time, this became their main business focus. Relocating to Laois, Deirdre and Roy set up Seale Transport, and they welcomed their daughter Isabelle into the world.
“We are always moving forward. We offer a uniquely high standard of care to the horses that travel with us. We are continually upgrading and improving. We have had everything thrown at us COVID-19, Brexit, EHV1, but we always come through.”
Seale Transport regularly sponsors classes at shows, and the company also offers a youth scheme which allows younger riders to group together for travel and competition abroad.
“We want to make things possible for people. Dad did so much to encourage everyone, especially young people getting started. It matters.”
Isabelle (14) also enjoys competing. Brian’s family relocation from America to Sligo means that brother, sister, cousins and ponies are regularly seen together at shows all around the country.
“The best bits of the industry are the connections, and the people. It really is very special and unique. It is wonderful to be a part of it all.” The apple certainly didn’t fall too far from the tree.
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