Irishman honoured in Kentucky

CONCERNING human pedigrees in this business, the full-brothers Dermot and Malachy Ryan are among the best performers when it comes to managing success. Malachy runs the world-renowned Moyglare Stud, and was a recent recipient on the farm’s behalf of the Connolly’s Red Mills/The Irish Field Flat Breeder of the Year award.

Now Dermot has been announced as the latest recipient of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers’ Club’s main accolade, the 2021 Ted Bates Farm Manager of the Year award. He grew up in Tipperary, about an hour away from Coolmore, and had exposure to horses, thanks to his parents Malachy and Miriam, riding, hunting and show jumping from a young age.

After leaving school Dermot completed the Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Management course alongside Henry Beeby, the late John Durkan, Pat Downes, Garrett O’Rourke, Des Dempsey, Nicola Ward, Brendan Gallagher and John Brady. From there he went to work at Coolmore at the age of 19 for eight years, before heading to Coolmore America in December 1992, and where he has remained ever since.

He and his wife Debbie married in 1999 and now reside at Ashford Stud. Dermot, who is a director of the KTA/KTOB and is on the board of the Gluck Center, said this week: “It has been amazing to see Ashford grow through the vision of John Magnier and his family. I am very thankful to have been given the opportunity to be a steward of such a wonderful place, to be around such amazing horses and work with wonderful people.”

John Magnier said of Dermot: “The horses and people at Ashford are always at the forefront of his mind. He is the real deal, and it is a great honour for him to receive this award. We are proud to have been associated with him and his family for such a long time; it is very well deserved and comes as no surprise to us.”

Magnier’s son M.V. added: “We are delighted that others see what we see on a daily basis. We have been very lucky to have him at Coolmore for so long, he is a great guy.”