TARA Stud, one of Ireland’s oldest public studs, has been placed on the market.

The Co Meath stud covers 600 acres of top quality land.

Managed by Derek Iceton for the past 40 years, Tara Stud was established in 1906 and has enjoyed 80 years of stability and success under the current management and ownership.

It has been home to many successful stallions and this year stood Estidhkaar and homebred Grade 1 winner River Boyne.

Iceton told The Irish Field that his bloodstock operation is being transferred to the adjoining Skryne Castle Farm, which runs to well in excess of 350 acres.

“A number of factors have come together in making this decision,” he said. “We are not going to stand any more stallions and, though I am by no means going to retire, I do want to reduce the agricultural side of the business.

“We sell well over 1,000 cattle from here each year, up to 1,000 sheep, and 1,000 tonnes of grain. The time has come to reduce this side of the business. There is no one here to succeed me, so we have all decided to sell the Tara Stud farm.

“This still leaves us over 350 acres on which to keep our own mares and those of our clients, land and facilities we have been developing considerably over the last few years, and we will continue selling stock as before, under the Skryne Castle name.”

Tara Stud has been in the same ownership for almost 80 years. Derek’s father Billy came to Ireland from England in 1946.

The farm was divided broadly into two blocks, with the Tara Stud side comprising about 600 acres and the other farm at Skryne Castle over 350 acres.

Tara Stud has a fine record in breeding top-class winners from inexpensive stock. Recent Prix de l’Abbaye winner A Case Of You is a good example, by Hot Streak out of a mare by Key Of Luck, who stood at Tara.

Iceton commented: “Not only has Tara fine land on which to grow horses and cattle, it is in wonderful condition, with strongly-built boxes and a continuous programme of fencing undertaken and every facility you could want to run a stud farm, as well as modern facilities for the cattle.

“Its location is one of the property’s strongest selling points, close to motorways, the M50, to Dublin and its airport and ferry port, so I hope it will attract both local and foreign interest.”

The sale is being handled by Goffs Property and Raymond Potterton and Co as joint-agents.