At Home With Meta And Dermot: Q&A With The ITBA Award Winners 

It is just over a month since Dermot Cantillon and Meta Osborne were inducted into the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association Hall Of Fame at a memorable awards ceremony at the Heritage Hotel.

Described as a “power couple” in the awards booklet, rarely are the Tinnakill House Stud owners seen without each other. After an hour spent in their company at their home near Forenaghts Stud in County Kildare, it is easy to see why Meta and Dermot have risen to many of the challenges that life, and the industry, presents.

“I'm a disruptor and Meta is status quo,” Dermot jokes, although there is a certain element of truth to the statement. You won't hear Meta and Dermot sitting around telling each other how great they are. Instead, they challenge each other's way of thinking. 

Despite having no background in racing, Dermot managed Forenaghts Stud for the Smurfit family at a time when their colours were carried to not one but two Melbourne Cup victories thanks to Vintage Crop and Media Puzzle. 

He has also chaired ITM, the Tote, been on many committees and boards, including Goffs, the ITBA and that of his current baby, Naas racecourse. 

Meta is no shrinking violet. A well-respected equine veterinary surgeon, she specialises in mare reproduction. She also became Senior Steward of the Turf Club in 2016, the first woman to hold such a position, and last year completed a Masters in Animal Welfare at the University of Edinburgh.

The couple's achievements at Tinnakill House Stud are not bad either. Casamento, Alexander Goldrun, Red Evie and State Of Rest are graduates of the County Laois farm. 

Needless to say, Meta and Dermot were thoroughly deserving winners of their Hall Of Fame award. A power couple, indeed.

Dermot and Meta were added to the ITBA Hall Of Fame | Tattersalls Ireland

Brian: A nice light-hearted one to start; I am sure you saw Johnny Murtagh's comments about prize-money not being good enough in the TDN last week. Given your position at Naas racecourse, Dermot, you might be best qualified to comment on that.

Dermot: He definitely has a point. We need to be getting more money out of the bookmakers. I know they have done deals in Australia where they give back a higher percentage and I think there is leakage in how the money comes back to racing in Ireland and England especially, where dividends go back to big corporations. The biggest worry for me is that we are losing our audience. The crowds are falling away. Now, we do have a new audience, which is a digital audience. We were on holidays in South Africa recently, for example, and we were able to watch Irish racing on television down there. That's all driven by betting and betting is basically driving what is happening in Britain and Ireland. You can see that yourself through the fixture list. There has been a big increase in the fixture list over time and that reduces quality, gives us more fixtures and creates more money for the bookmakers. Is that good or bad? I don't know. Do you think the racecourses should be putting more money into prize-money? That's a question we have asked ourselves at Naas racecourse but we have never paid a dividend, which means the money we have made up until now has gone back into the track in other ways. Up until now, we haven't put any of our resources back into prize-money. There is a huge upkeep into running a racecourse and making constant improvements.

Meta: Part of the issue is that some of the racetracks have legacy debt which they haven't been able to service and you are always worried that, if this becomes the model, it will always be the model. 

Dermot: One of my biggest issues with Irish racing at the moment is the structure. I mean, it's totally laid down in stone. In soccer, you have a tiered system-the Championship and the Premier League-, whereas in Irish racing you have certain racecourses that get the big races every single year. There is no incentive to get better because this is your position and you cannot progress.

Brian: I thought Naas showed itself in a great light when it stepped in to stage a number of big races while the Curragh was going through its redevelopment. What would your one big wish be for the track?

Dermot: If HRI asked us to take a Classic if we put €50,000 into it, or offered us a Group 1 if we could go out and get a Group 1 sponsor, but we're never asked those questions.

Brian: What Group 1 would be best suited to Naas?

Dermot: I think we could easily take the Phoenix Stakes, which has moved around over the years. We've 13 Group 1s in Ireland and the Curragh has 11 of those. Leopardstown has the other two. It could be better spread out, like it is in England for example. 

 

Brian: It's clear that the two of you have very different philosophies; do you think that is a benefit in that you can bounce things off each other and get a different perspective?

Meta: Oh, yes. A better outcome comes from a broader discussion. But sometimes Dermot can get a bit frustrated with my views on things!

Dermot: Meta comes from a Turf Club background–need we say any more?! You can quote me on that!

Meta: I don't think I subscribed totally to everything the Turf Club stood for, I knew some things needed to change. 

Dermot: You led them for two years!

Meta: I did and we got the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board out of that, which is something I am very proud of. 

 

Dermot: One thing I feel strongly about is that people who lead organisations in racing should come up through the ranks organically but we have gotten away from that in recent times. People who lead should have passion. Passion is not something that you can bring in from the side, it comes from down below.

Brian: Would you agree with that, Meta?

Meta: I would. Passion is the lifeblood, but, again, I can see why that has happened because people are concerned that the funding of the sport will dry up unless we can show that we have people appointed who understand business and finance and corporate governance. 

Dermot: There are plenty of people in the industry who understand business and finance. If you look at the GAA, one of the most magnificent organisations in the world, they have more people playing Gaelic Games outside of Ireland now than they do in the country. But could you imagine the GAA president coming from outside? It would never happen. 

 

Brian: That's enough of the heavy stuff–let's lighten the mood! I'll read out a quote Dermot said at the ITBA Awards. It read, 'the night I met Meta in Kentucky was the best night of my life.'

Meta: Would you believe, that is 40 years this year…

Dermot: We have our debates and we challenge each other but we do push forward in a united front. We complement each other, for sure.

Brian: What did the award mean and has it sunk in?

Dermot: I was delighted that it was a joint award because that's the way we have always been perceived within the industry. We have received a lot of positive feedback from people within the industry following the awards. In many ways, we're not your normal industry people. We're not as hands on as others. We've had success, but we've done it in a very balanced way. 

Brian: From the outside looking in, it seems as though there is always an occasion or an event.

Dermot: Yes, and we make no apology for that, we work to live. 

Brian: But do ye switch off or are ye like this, rowing over prize-money, etc on holiday?

Meta: [Laughs]

Dermot: We don't switch off, we bring it with us, but we know there are other things. 

Meta: We're going to France next week. We've mares boarding over there so we're looking forward to going over and seeing them.

Dermot: That's one of the things we love about the industry. We've made friends all over the world and we get a good welcome in Australia, America or wherever we go. I used to be very envious of Meta's Dad when I met him first because he knew people all over the world. It's funny, now we have replicated that and are proud to say we have friends all over the world in this industry. That's a great attraction of our industry. But, I have to say, I am worried about the future of the sport.

 

Brian: What's your biggest worry?

Dermot: It doesn't have the same gravitas that it used to. At one time, you would have been very proud to be from our industry. Now, you'd want to be picking your audience. That's a worry. 

Brian: It's funny you say that because I have been at a lot of weddings recently and, invariably you get talking to people you don't know and, when it comes to explaining what you do for a living, a lot of the time I'm met with ignorant or sometimes even negative reactions. 

Dermot: When I was your age, people would have been, 'wow, that is some industry to work in.' 

Brian: I find myself defending the sport a lot. 

Dermot: That's the point I'm making. And that's the worry. Racing in California and other jurisdictions is under threat and what would happen if that went? We have a big trade on fillies especially in Ireland to go specifically to California. If that went, it would have a huge knock-on effect. There are some huge threats out there. Our mindset should be to support the industry as a whole. We shouldn't view other jurisdictions as rivals. We should all be supporting this industry together. Maybe we should look at having some form of a promotional body worldwide. 

Meta: Vicky Leonard is doing great work with Kick Up For Racing.

 

Brian: I'm going to veer off topic slightly here and bring up the AIB advert that Dermot did in 2008. The premise of the ad was that AIB was backing brave and, in hindsight, they picked a very fitting man to star in the advert.

Dermot: Why, because the guy looks so good in it?!

Brian: More so because you are brave! Ye are never afraid to take a chance on an old mare or whatever it may be. Also, Jack is a chip off the old block. Is it something that you instill in each other?

Meta: Dermot is a gambler at heart. His interest in racing started through the dogs, didn't it Dermot?

Dermot: Basically, my Dad was a GP in County Waterford. There is a good tradition of point-to-point yards around the area but I didn't grow up around horses whatsoever. I did agricultural science in college and, I can remember somebody asking me what area I was most interested in, and I couldn't think of any. That summer, I was working in construction in New York and my brother-in-law had been working as an exchange student over there and, by complete accident, ended up on a stud farm in Kentucky. He knew I liked horses and told me I should visit Kentucky. I did, and I ended up going to graduate school in Kentucky and I ended up managing a stud farm out there. That was despite the fact that, when I first went to Kentucky, I didn't know whether they bedded the horses on hay or straw! That was my background. Because of that, I suppose I look at things a little bit differently than to those who were brought up with horses. 

Meta: I was going to say on the night of the ITBA Awards that we got Dermot in to bring a bit of hybrid vigour around the place! That's the running joke we have here. 

Dermot: I was attracted by the risk element of this industry, without question. But the Smurfit family were very good to me from the outset and provided me with a lot of encouragement and also gave me the scope to go and develop my own farm, so I was lucky in that sense. 

 

Brian: While you both are not hands-on at the farm, there's no doubt that you both work very hard.

Dermot: We do things differently. It might not be the traditional way but it works for us.

Meta: We have top-class staff on the farm and Ian Thompson is a brilliant manager. It's funny, when he rings us, the first thing he will say is, 'there are no problems, I'm just ringing because..' He has equity in plenty of mares so he is invested in the farm. We'd be lost without him. On a personal level, and I think I have gotten this from my father, but I would have a very strong ethos of giving back and spreading knowledge. I'd never be the one for saying 'well, we know about that trick, so we won't tell anyone,' I'd tell the world. There's so much knowledge out there and my latest project is starting a podcast with an Aussie friend, Karen Luke. It's called Changing Rein and it's about human interaction with horses. There is a huge amount of research and information out there so we are looking forward to putting it together for people to consume. Watch this space!

Dermot: On a different note, slightly, but, one of the biggest changes we have noticed since we have come into the game is the rise of the major stallion stud farms. When we first got into the game, there were an awful amount of stud farms with one or two stallions. Most of those farms have gone out of business and now you have a couple of mega farms that dominate the whole thing. A lot of people are being squeezed out and it's becoming more and more difficult to run what you would have called a traditional stud farm. The people who are really doing well are the ones who have access to the commercial stallions. If you are trying to compete with them, it's very difficult, and I fear we will see a big contraction within the industry in the next five years. The amount of money that is being generated within the industry is going into fewer hands. That's the bottom line. If we didn't come up with Repose (Quiet American) [dam of State Of Rest] and then sell her so well, we'd be under pressure. Going forward, you need to keep repeating the dose. It's difficult. Mind you, I wouldn't mind a sizeable interest in an established stallion–it's like a small goldmine with a seam lasting 15 to 20 years.

 

Brian: The landscape of the breeding game has changed a lot even in the past few years. Polarised was the buzzword last year. Have you adapted your approach to what stallions you use as a result of the selectivity of the market?

Dermot: If you want to go to a commercial stallion now, you are paying €50,000 or €60,000, so that's a huge gamble. It's become more high risk because of the fact everybody wants to use the same stallions.

Meta: We have a lot of stallion shares and that's what we have tried to do down through the years. We try to use those first and they can be a help.

Brian: Ye have been lucky with some of your stallion shares down through the years. 

Dermot: Oh, we have. Some of them have worked out great. When my father passed away, he left me some money, and there was a second share that became available on Invincible Spirit (Ire). I took that up on the basis of the money I was left in the will. Every time I got a dividend, I used to look up to the sky and say, 'thanks Dad.' Invincible Spirit put the kids through college!

 

Brian: For all the ups in this game, and ye have enjoyed many of those, how do ye deal with the downs? It's not always rosy in the garden in this game.

Dermot: As I said earlier on, if you don't find some really nice foals or yearlings in your crop, you are in trouble. One year, it might be okay, but two years in a row and you could be in serious trouble. It can keep you awake at night, breeding horses. 

Meta: I'm probably more level. I don't get as stressed or upset about it. I prefer to trust the process.

Dermot: If you look at the make-up of racing, the whole emphasis is on producing a really good horse, but in today's world where we have more racing than ever before, sound horses who can run in ordinary races are a necessity for the industry. But that doesn't seem to get much of a premium. If you produce a nice horse and bring it to the sales but he's not by the right sire you might not get a whole pile of money but there is an absolute need for those horses to keep the show on the road. We've just completed the Naas Centenary book and, as I go through the pages, it shows me that racing used to be a social event and sport with a small industry attached. Now, 100 years later, it has completely changed. The social element is very small, the sporting element is becoming less and less and the big industry attached to it, which is gambling, is dictating terms. That is a massive change.

 

Brian: Could you ever sell up Tinnakill and sail off into the sunset?

Dermot: Jack [son] has a huge interest in it all so it would be difficult but I have always been tempted by cash! 

Meta: We need to sell €1 million worth of horses every year. That's the reality.

Brian: I don't think they would stage the mares sales without you both being there.

Dermot: Well, we have been there for 30-something years. It's funny, though, if I wasn't at the sales and I was looking down through the list of results and without seeing who bought what, I would be able to tell you exactly what Jack bought. That has happened time and time again. He thinks exactly the same way as I do. I had a physiotherapy appointment last year and had to leave the sales for a couple of hours. There was a mare sold cheaply in foal to Sea The Stars (Ire) and, I said to myself when I saw what it made, 'God, I hope Jack bought that,' and he did. We hadn't even discussed it beforehand. We've four kids and we're very proud of them all. Jack is making his way in the industry and he's a huge resource to us. He's a fountain of information and he's not afraid to take a chance. He has gotten involved in a number of stallions and maybe it will work out for him but it's a very difficult area. He puts his neck out there and I am very proud of that. It can be easy to criticise but there are a lot of people who would never put themselves out there like he does. He's a qualified lawyer in America, the UK and Ireland and it's amazing that he is not pursuing that career, but he is happy doing what he is doing. 

 

Brian: It was Jack who first told me about the award and how excited you both were to be receiving it. 

Dermot: We were, because it's your peers recognising you and, like I said, we're not the normal stud farm owners. We've done it our own way and have contributed to various other bodies and put our energies into other things as well as our farm. That has been very rewarding for us. 

Meta: It's not just about the buying and the selling of the horses; it's about the networking and the relationships you forge with people. We have made some wonderful friendships in the industry down through the years and it has afforded us a fantastic way of life and great craic along the way.

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Amy Marnane Q&A: ‘This Industry Is Like A Big Family – It’s Very Special’

There were few more deserving winners at this year's ITBA Awards than Amy Marnane. At just 30 years of age, Marnane has crammed a lot in. From breeding to pinhooking and even consigning horses under her own name, Marnane has accomplished plenty in the industry, which led to her scooping the Next Generation Award. 

Of course, that award was tinged with sadness after the death of Marnane's mother, Theresa, at the age of 61 in December. 

In this week's Q&A, Marnane discusses how the bloodstock industry has served as a tonic in times of sadness, her hopes for Givemethebeatboys and much more.  

BS: In all of his 25 years hosting the awards, Master of Ceremonies Leo Powell said he'd never seen a standing ovation like the one you received at the ITBA Awards last Sunday? That must have been pretty special. 

AM: It was a very emotional night. Sure I just thought there would be a small award and everyone would clap but there was a standing ovation when I went up to the stage and then again when I came back down after I got the award. It was just unbelievable. It meant a lot and it certainly put a lump in my throat. Although I might not show it on the outside, it was very special. For the ITBA to even put my name to paper initially, and then to be picked as the winner, it's just incredible. Obviously the award was tinged with sadness after we lost Mum in December but this industry is like a big family. Whenever anyone is going through something, the whole industry rallies around them. It's very special. 

We've been through some desperately sad times as an industry. Take the death of Pat Smullen or Jack de Bromhead as an example. The sport tends to pull together in hard times and I gather it was no different when Theresa passed away. To that extent, I think we can be immensely proud of our industry. 

Completely. It's an amazing game. We found out that Mum had cancer the morning of the breeze at the Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale. We tried to keep it quiet but people knew that there was something up and that something was wrong. By the time the yearling sales came around, the word was out that Mum was sick. Any consignment we went to visit, you wouldn't be met with a, 'hello, how are ya? What would you like to see?' You were met with a, 'how's your Mum and is there anything we can do?' Mum passed away during the December Mares Sale at Tattersalls. It's the biggest funeral I have ever seen but, if that sale hadn't been on, there would have been even more people there. The phones were hopping. We got through Christmas and headed off to Australia for a holiday. Even at the Goffs February Sale just gone, people have still been amazing. Frances Smullen, in particular, has been very good to us. Obviously she has been through everything with Pat and was there to offer us a helping hand. I must say that, in the sales ring or on the track, everyone in the industry is ready for a dog fight but, when you go through something like this, you couldn't ask for better people to rally around you. The industry has shown this time and time again and I'm hugely proud to be a part of it. 

Your life has been a soundtrack of horses for as long as you can remember. I can only imagine that, for all of the big days and success that you have enjoyed, the horses and working closely with them were just as important to you when you were going through such difficult times. 

Absolutely. Going out to the yard every morning and keeping yourself busy was important. Con is a bit like a child, you need to keep him busy all the time, but even he will tell you the very same–it was getting up every morning and getting into the yard to watch the horses canter or to simply just be around them, that proved to be a major therapy for us and helped us to take our minds off everything else that was going on. They're incredible animals and the team of people we have working with us are equally as important. I couldn't thank them enough for what they have done for us. They would literally stand on their heads for you. They look after us just as much as they look after the horses. Particularly Mike O'Brien, Mr Ribchester himself, he has been an absolutely saint. He manages everything at home and without him we'd be lost. 

You've gathered up a lot of experience in the industry in your 30 years. Is there a certain path you'd like to go down or are you happy to continue as you are with your finger in so many pies?

I think it's important not to put all of your eggs in one basket. Some years the breeze-up horses can be very lucrative and the next year it might be the foals that you bred or the yearlings that you pinhooked that do well. Once you have your finger in every pie, something is bound to go right every year. That has to happen to keep the whole thing afloat. If the truth be known, we're probably completely addicted. If there's any Flat sale on, we'll be there. Trading horses is our business.

I suppose you're getting sick talking about Givemethebeatboys (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) but he provided you all with plenty to smile about last year and the best may yet be to come in 2024.

I'll never get sick of talking about that horse. He has been a revelation. The Brickley brothers, who sold him to us, have been unbelievable and have tracked his journey the whole way through. The horse was bred by Mrs Rogers at Airlie Stud and you just can't beat those families. Givemethebeatboys got us through last year. To go and make that kind of money at the Goffs London Sale, to win the Marble Hill and to run such a good race in the Coventry Stakes, he's just been phenomenal for us. He's done very well over the winter-he's grown and filled out. Hopefully this time next year we'll be sending mares to him.

The Commonwealth Cup would presumably be the big aim for him this year?

Look, Royal Ascot is what it's all about for us. We finished second in the Commonwealth Cup with Sands Of Mali (Fr) so we'd love to go and win it. The King's Stand Stakes is also an option and, to be honest, it would just be a dream to win any of the big sprint races with him. The Sands family own the majority share in Givemethebeatboys and they have been so good to us. They are really, nice genuine people and I just hope the horse can go on for them this year and that we have a very exciting horse to look forward to together this summer. 

What was the result that got the whole thing off the ground for you?

I had just finished my honours degree in Equine Science when I went over to America in 2015. I had been buying a few foals here and there in Ireland and, before I went to America, Con told me that if I saw a nice foal in America, to go and get it bought. I saw this Orb foal–it was his first crop-and I bought him for $13,000. I gave him to Gerry Dilger, who has been so good to me, to prep him for the year. Gerry rang me and told me that the horse was getting into Book 2 at Keeneland in September. I was expecting him to tell me that the horse got into Book 4 or something. We chanced it anyway and the horse went on to make $125,000 and he turned out to be a Stakes horse. We were delighted with the price and even more delighted that he turned out to be a good racehorse. His name was Zero Gravity. 

What do you do with $125,000 in your mid-20s? I know what I'd do!

I reinvested the money. Con told me to go back and buy a couple of breezers and I did. I bought an Uncle Mo colt for $40,000. We brought him to the Craven Breeze-Up Sale and he made 150,000gns. He turned out to be a very good horse called Corrosive and was sold on again at the Tattersalls Horses-In-Training Sale in October 2018 for 450,000gns, so that was another good result. 

To have someone like Con in your corner must be brilliant. I know he said it half tongue in cheek at the awards night on Sunday, but you really couldn't have learned off many better people in the industry, could you?

I'd never say this to him but I'm probably the luckiest person in the world. We get up at seven o'clock in the morning to feed the horses together. I watch them galloping with him, and see all the things that he does with them, which is a lot-there's a treadmill, a swimming pool, they go away to gallop and we've five different gallops. His mind is working overtime. He never dwells on the past and never stops thinking about what he can do next to improve. Whether that's staying up to three in the morning Googling how to produce his own Alfalfa hay in Ireland or looking at the next gadget for the yard, he never stops. He'd always say that you never stop learning in this game and he's a prime example of that. He's a bit of a freak lately. 

It's not just Con that you have struck up a good relationship with. You've enjoyed some good results with his brother and your uncle David through buying a number of yearlings to race in the famous MRC International silks each year. Lady Tilbury (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) and Night Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) are two good examples given that both horses made six figures at the horses-in-training sale last year. 

David has been so good to us and the whole family has grown closer in recent times. I buy all of David's yearlings and we've had plenty of luck. We never spend huge money on a horse and we have to try and think outside the box. Lady Tilbury cost us just 18,000gns and was sold to Paddy Twomey for 150,000gns and I hope she's very, very lucky for him. She's a very good filly. Night Moon came from Germany. He's a bit different to the horses that I usually buy but he won impressively for David at Listowel and was sold to Harold Kirk on behalf of Willie Mullins for 100,000gns. He could be an exciting horse going forward over hurdles for them. 

There you go. You grew up watching with the Bansha Bullets but a nice horse is a nice horse no matter what the code and you can clearly spot them, whether they are out-and-out speedsters or middle-distance types. What is it that you look for at the sales?

You know a nice horse when it comes out of the box. The horse literally needs to take one or two steps and it's either a yes or a no. You need an intelligent-looking horse who has a good ear and a good eye. Different people like Mike and Mary Ryan, Niall Brennan, Gerry Dilger, Peter and Ross Doyle and even a lot of vets, they'd forgive a horse for not being perfect in front. I don't think we should start messing with them in terms of putting screws in and things like that. It can cause more trouble than good. I usually find that, if a horse is strong enough behind, he'll keep the weight off his front legs. 

Finally, your family is known for unleashing top-notch two-year-old talent so I can't let you go without nominating one or two for us to keep an eye on this year. 

I wish we had a Pinatubo (Ire) in the yard. We tried and tried to buy one last year but we kept coming up short. I think he is in for a big year. We have a couple by Sands Of Mali and they are very nice. They have super temperaments and have huge hind quarters. His progeny remind me a lot of him because they have such good attitudes. We have 24 to breeze this year. There are some very special horses in there-four Blue Points, four Havana Greys, a very talented Starspangledbanner (Aus) out of a sister to The Tin Man (GB) and a half-brother to Sands Of Mali himself who goes really well. There's a lot of quality in there.

 

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ITBA Mourns Una Tormey as National Awards Postponed

The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA) has postponed its annual National Awards as a mark of respect following the death of ITBA chief executive Una Tormey on Tuesday. 

The awards dinner had been set to take place this coming Saturday, January 27, at the Heritage in Killenard. A rearranged date will be announced in due course. 

A statement released through the ITBA from chairman Cathy Grassick on Wednesday morning read, “It is with great sadness that I advise you that our esteemed friend and colleague Una Tormey passed away yesterday after a short illness. She was a beautiful person and left a lasting impression on everyone that met her. We in the ITBA are deeply saddened by her loss. Our thoughts are with Una's family who have asked for privacy at this very difficult time.”

Tormey, 41, was appointed chief executive of the ITBA in December 2022 following a two-year stint with the association as membership coordinator.

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ITBA Awards: Celebrating Ireland’s Best

KILLENARD, Ireland–The trick to living a mostly happy life is to spend as much time as possible doing what you love. Simple, right?

That's not to say that people in the bloodstock industry don't work incredibly hard. There is no real let-up in the work either, with almost wall-to-wall sales these days, foals on the way, mares to be covered, mud to be scraped off almost everything and, some mornings, ice to be broken on water troughs and buckets. 

But it's a wonderful life nonetheless, and every now and then moments can be found for for a collective letting down of hair and slapping on of glad rags to celebrate those whose contributions have been particularly noteworthy over the previous year. 

The best of these events in Europe by a country mile is the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association's National Breeding and Racing Awards. For a truly immersive experience, and in an effort to make it look like I wasn't turning up merely for the Champagne and dancing, the weekend escape from Newmarket to Ireland was augmented by trips to visit two significant breeding operations in the country's heartland. One of those has already featured significantly at the ITBA Awards over many years and another will undoubtedly do so in the future, and you can read more about Tally-Ho Stud and Al Shira'aa Farms in the TDN in the coming week.

I will admit to some trepidation ahead of my visit to the O'Callaghan family at Tally-Ho. Their incredible success is matched by their collective disinclination to be interviewed, so when you turn up at someone's house at lunchtime knowing that your arrival brings about as much joy to your hosts as a trip to the dentist for root canal treatment then it is nigh on impossible not to spend most of the time apologising for your presence. As it transpired, the warm welcome from Disney the black Labrador was extended heartily by Tony, Anne, Roger and Henry. Tally-Ho's seven stallions paraded without fuss, their laidback demeanours undoubtedly contributing to the success of the offspring of those far along enough in their careers.

“Temperament is everything,” declared Tony O'Callaghan over lunch, and it is hard to disagree with a man whose farm churns out smart winners with metronomic regularity. 

This time last year, the achievements of Tony and Anne O'Callaghan were deservedly recognised by their induction into the ITBA Hall of Fame. A Tally-Ho connection continued through Saturday's awards when the hugely popular Tom Lacy was recognised as Small Breeder of the Year for Persian Force (Ire). Not only is the G2 July S. winner and dual Group 1 runner-up a son of Mehmas (Ire) but he has joined his father on the roster at the O'Callaghans' farm this year. They know him well, having pinhooked him as a foal from the Lacy family. 

Tom Lacy was presented with his award by John O'Connor of Ballylinch Stud, to whom Lacy had sold his homebred Ingabelle (GB) (Taufan), who went on to become an important foundation mare at Ballylinch. Lacy's achievements extend well beyond his success as a breeder, however. In a marvellous video compilation encapsulating the 87-year-old's career in racing we saw grainy black-and-white footage of his days in the saddle. Not many people can boats of riding against the great Arkle (Ire) and Flyingbolt (GB), not that boastfulness is a term one would use to describe the hard-working Lacy.

After his race-riding days, he went on to carve a successful career as a trainer, launching the career of no less a talent than the much-missed Pat Smullen, who rode for him in his early days, as did Lacy's sons Barry and Tony, both of whom present on Saturday to support their father. 

Tony and his wife Cathy had made the trip from Kentucky, as had the recipients of arguably the most popular award of the evening, the Wild Geese Award, which recognises the contribution of Irishmen and women in the racing and breeding industry around the world. It is safe to say that the ITBA will not run out of potential recipients, for the Irish influence runs deep, particularly in Kentucky, where David and Ann Hanley have been based since leaving Ireland. 

Like Tom Lacy, David Hanley was previously a successful trainer before his move, with the Grade I winner Golden Apples (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) among his many achievements as both trainer and breeder (with James Egan of Corduff Stud).

Now general manager of WinStar Farm, he was described in the video marking the award by Mike Ryan as, “The best judge of a horse that I have ever been around.”

Ann Hanley is as beloved as her husband and, since being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease 16 years ago, has raised more than $4 million in vital research funding for the debilitating condition as well as being a tower of support to her many friends and colleagues in the breeding industry. The Hanleys' award was jointly deserved and universally approved by those in attendance, and surely by many more tuning in via the livestream.

This year's inductee into the ITBA Hall of Fame was William Flood, master of Boardsmill Stud and a great servant to Irish National Hunt breeding.

Flood's award was warmly greeted by a standing ovation from the 300-plus guests at The Heritage hotel on a night when emotions ran high. Earlier in the proceedings, the award for the Novice Hurdler of the Year, Sir Gerhard (Ire) (Jeremy), had ben collected by Joe and Sharon Fitzpatrick. Their son Jonathan, who bred the eight-year-old at the family's Keatingstown House Stud, died in a car crash in 2017 at the age of just 23, several years before Sir Gerhard became so successful in the colours of Cheveley Park Stud. Beaten only twice in his ten races to date, the gelding is a glorious, galloping reminder of the nascent talent of the young Fitzpatrick, a graduate of the Irish National Stud course who had also worked at Coolmore and Ballylinch. 

Two important anniversaries took place in 2022. The Aga Khan Studs celebrated its centenary while the Haefner family's Moyglare Stud marked its 60th year in the breeding industry. Both these milestones went hand-in-hand with continued excellence on the track for graduates of the respective operations. 

Princess Zahra Aga Khan and her mother Princess Salima were both in attendance to collect the Two-Year-Old Filly of the Year Award for the exciting Classic prospect Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}).

“It was an amazing year, and I spent most of the year thinking about my grandfather and great grandfather,” said Princess Zahra, reflecting on the 2022 season which also saw Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) win the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Eclipse S. “I think it was incredible that it happened last year. We are going into year 101 with such a lovely range of hopes.”

Eva-Maria Bucher-Haefner, who took over the running of Moyglare Stud from her late father Walter, was the recipient of two awards on the evening, for the Three-Year-old Filly of the Year, the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), and the Stayer of the Year, Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whom she races in partnership with Coolmore. It has been noted before but it bears repeating that Kyprios's celebrated dam, Polished Gem (Ire) (Danehill), bore ten foals for ten winners, eight of whom won black-type races, including the Group 1 winners Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), Kyprios, and his full-sister Search For A Song (Ire).

Ben Sangster was back at The Heritage to claim an award for the second year running as the breeder of Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {Ire}), who was named Three-Year-Old Colt of the Year, while Timmy Hyde of Camas Park Stud, flanked by his wife Trish and daughters Wendy and Valerie, collected the trophy for Two-Year-Old Colt of the Year, Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never). The Aidan O'Brien trainee was bred by Hyde along with his son, Tim, of Summerhill.

From budding talent to esteemed veterans of the sport, the ITBA Awards reward the passion, dedication and determination of the participants of what remains a vital industry in Ireland. The huge importance of Thoroughbred breeding to the Irish economy and the country's reputation of a global forerunner in horseracing was reflected by the fact that three Irish government ministers attended the ceremony, with Charlie McConalogue, Minster for Agriculture, on hand to present William Flood with his Hall of Fame Award alongside ITBA chair Cathy Grassick. 

That connection to the country's seat 0f power is undoubtedly one of the reasons that the Irish racing and breeding industry continues to thrive and remains a shining example to other nations attempting to emulate its success. 

 

The ITBA National Breeding and Racing Awards 2022

Next Generation Award: Micheal Conaghan

Young National Hunt Horse: Facile Vega
Bred by Hammer & Trowel Syndicate

Novice Hurdler of the Year: Sir Gerhard
Bred by Keatingstown Bloodstock

Novice Chaser of the Year: Bob Olinger
Bred by Kenneth Parkhill

Hurdler of the Year: Flooring Porter
Bred by Sean Murphy

Chaser of the Year: Shishkin
Bred by CJ & EB Barnett

Small Breeder of the Year: Tom Lacy

Two-Year-Old Filly of the Year: Tahiyra
Bred by HH The Aga Khan's Studs

Two-Year-Old Colt of the Year: Little Big Bear
Bred by Camas Park Stud & Summerhill

Three-Year-Old Filly of the Year: Homeless Songs
Bred by Moyglare Stud Farm

Three-Year-Old Colt of the Year: Luxembourg
Bred by B V Sangster

Stayer of the Year: Kyprios
Bred by Moyglare Stud Farm

Wild Geese Award: David and Ann Hanley

Hall of Fame: William Flood

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