FROM Windgap Stud in Doon, Co Offaly, myself and wife Chris have eight children: Thomas, Ciara, Martin, Niall, Sharon, Anthony, John and Cathal. We can’t forget Kai, the first of the grandchildren, who celebrated his first birthday two weeks ago.

A jack-of-all-trades from carpentry, block laying, plasterer, tiling and window fitting, there have always been horses on my home farm at Mannion’s Cross.

Some 3.5km away from home, I met Chris and we continue the family legacy of her parents: Kieran Patrick and Mary Flynn. Mary bred both the iconic Roma Blue Wind and their first stallion Windgap Hero. The Flynns always kept Irish Draught mares and got invited to the RDS on numerous occasions with mares and foals.

Chris’s father passed away suddenly and we returned home from England to continue farming sheep, cattle and horses. The love for the Irish Draughts grew as we sold the cattle and sheep. Myself and Chris began our search to bring back the lines that were sold by Mary after her husband had passed away.

In the sale of Roma Blue Wind, the agreement was her first filly would return to Mary, but instead we got her three-parts sister: Windgap Yetminster. We continued breeding Irish Draughts and Windgap Blue was the first stallion to stand on the farm, as ‘Hero’ was sold back before those times.

We currently have five registered Draught stallions: Huntingfield Ruler, Windgap Reliance, Touch of the Emperor and Coom View Highlander. WGS Irish Rajah is at Drumhowan Stud again this season.

1. Congratulations, a successful Cavan. You bred one/own one – tell us about the pair.

Being the breeder of the first stallion approved on Thursday - Rhynn Blackie Go Lucky - brought great excitement after [owner] John Niland phoned with the news. As a foal, he was shown twice at the IDHBA Laois Branch and IDHS National shows with his dam Windgap Annaghbrack and he was so well-behaved, like his sire Touch of The Emperor.

We wish John and his team every success in the future with ‘Fred’, as he was known to us (there’s some Manchester United in our house!).

After a busy Thursday – fixing burst pipes after trying to put in some pailing fence for Kai to play safely – we travelled, as always, in a group to Cavan on Friday with Coom View Highlander (Farmhill Highlander x Fast Silver). Anthony did a super job showing him, along with Cathal and John, who helped school him for the day.

We’re delighted for his Cork breeder Shane Connolly that ‘Coom’, bought as a foal at the Cavan sales, got Class 1 status.

2. Proudest breeder moment?

Easily Windgap Blue’s story from start to finish. He was bred by Chris’s parents and did so much for the Windgap name. He got all the kids through school from his time at stud and we just love everything about him.

Lord have mercy on Mary, she was minding the kids when myself and Chris travelled to the UK for the IHDS(GB) breed show. Mary arrived out to find six of the kids brushing Windgap Blue in the stable! She got some fright with one at each leg, another brushing his tail and Martin on his back brushing over his mane.

He was heading to the RDS, so everyone was excited to see him take on the stallion class and he also won the All-Ireland Irish Draught stallion the first year it took place. His two short stints at show jumping were a success, thanks to Darragh Kenny and Conor Sheridan.

“Cheese!” Windgap Blue, the stallion that paid for the Mannion family’s education, with Michael. Also pictured in the background are two more great Irish Draught supporters: Marion and the late Stephen Costello, who passed away recently \ Susan Finnerty

3. Your Irish Draught template?

It’s important to remember the characteristics of the Irish Draught, along with temperament, how many stallions would let six kids annoy him in a stable and not move an inch? It’s how it had to be for us. The kids helped with all the duties on the farm, carrying buckets of water to stables before drinkers came around.

It’s also important that things have changed. People love the nature of the Irish Draught and all want one for competing. That’s fantastic, but we can’t lose what the Irish Draught is and what it has done for many generations because of its versatility.

4. Biggest challenges facing Irish Draught breeders?

Costs of getting a foal safely on the ground: the price of passports has increased significantly, feed costs, bedding, the list goes on. Also, the dip in the market won’t help breeders.

5. WGS (Windgap Stud) is yours, what’s your view on prefixes?

It’s important for tracking your own lines. Sharon uses SHMA and Anthony’s is KMA. The new generation find it more useful as they are on phones etc, following progress. WGS is now used as we are running out of names for Windgap and Lackagh, our foundation lines.

6. Internet – good or bad servant?

I don’t use the internet; I’m the wrong generation. When I’m in the pub of a Sunday evening, it cuts out the conversations, as the young people are too busy flicking through their phones.

7. If you could have bred any horse?

Cruising. Who wouldn’t? He was fantastic for the Irish.

8. It takes a team. Who’s on yours?

We’re a family-run team. I’ve taken a step back myself and Anthony will continue the home farm duties. He’s increasing his herd of Draughts in recent years, putting his own stamp on things and is happy to have the help of John and Cathal around their work commitments.

Chris keeps the house, and all in it, happy! She also does the paperwork with Sharon. Sharon, when she returns from her ACL injury, loves turnout, advertising and ropes everyone she can get near into showing horses for us - unsure how [partner] Paddy has escaped so long, but coming from a show jumping background himself, he’s happy to help!

Martin has returned from Australia recently; he’s our mechanic and driver, and he gets stuck into the showing also. Thomas, before he moved to London as a self-employed plumber, was always available and would have been a super farrier. Ciara was the jockey; she loved hunting, completed the RACE academy and spent many years flapping and winning on numerous horses, and she got individual awards along the way. She now lives in Antrim, breaking and producing young horses, including her Windgap Reliance filly.

Niall has his hands full, as a father and with work, but enjoys getting a call to catch horses. He’s quite handy at it, although as Niall would say, “Sure why wouldn’t I be good at it, I’m farming all my life”.

9. Breeding Irish Draughts – would you do it all over again?

In a heartbeat. We need to keep this amazing breed going for generations to come. The nature they have… we trusted them with our kids. It helped keep them busy during the summer months and out of trouble also, a great bonus.

10. Your thoughts on the two organisations for the Irish Draught breed: the IDHBA and IDHS?

They need to meet in the middle and do what’s best for the breed and the next generation of breeders. They need to identify a common ground and work for the Irish Draught and its breeders/owners/producers. We need to find a way.