I run a modest farm called South Sligo Stables where we breed, produce and compete show jumping horses. Over the years we have produced several well-known horses such as Achonry Carie.

I also run my own business making and selling high-quality show jumps and cavalettis, which has turned into quite a successful enterprise this year. Alongside all this, I work in Get Grounded, my family’s mobile coffee shops.

Last year, I completed four Level 5 degrees in Farm Management, Horse Breeding, Horse Care and Equine Behaviour and also have a specialist award in Horse Care. I did them online with an Irish-Australian company called Learning Cloud as it meant I could keep working and get my qualifications.

1. Congratulations on winning the Best Young Entrant at this week’s FBD/Macra Young Farmer awards in Portlaoise. Tell us more about this?

I entered the Young Farmer of the Year awards around the middle of June and told nobody! Not even my parents or closest friends.

I took part in three interviews; the first being over Zoom, then qualifying for the semi-final interview in Portlaoise, and the third being in Laois on Tuesday. Never in a million years did I expect to get so far in the competition, considering the standard of the other participants and as it was my first year to enter. It never even crossed my mind that I would take home an award.

The interview process went so smoothly thanks to the incredible judges, Karina Pierce UCD, Noreen Lacey IFCA, Jer Bergin FBD, Laurence Shalloo, Teagasc, and Bryan Daniels. It was such an honour to hear such positive feedback on my business, my goals and myself coming from such reputable organisations. A real pat on the back moment, so thank you.

Sarah Kelly and Jamie Hannon the two Sligo winners at the FBD young farmer of the year awards pictured with Marty Morrissey

2. Do you think young farmers/breeders have enough incentives to breed sport horses?

There are definitely more incentives to breed sport horses than ever before, such as TAMS, but I think they still need to be made more accessible for the ‘normal person’.

I think there should be a wider range of grants available to cover more options, such as stud fees, and vet costs can really limit what sort of foal you can produce.

3. Tell us about your current broodmares/youngstock?

Currently, our stock consists of two full-time broodmares: Achonry Carie, who competed to 1.45m with Richard Kerins, a Hermes de Reve × Sir Rivie × Cavalier mare and her Sligo Candy Boy half-sister Achonry Candy Girl, who competed at a smaller level in her younger years before turning to breeding.

Some of our younger stock include the four-year-old Achonry Castlelawn Cavalier (Castlelawn Captain Junior × Sir Rivie × Cavalier). She was broken last year, then turned out to mature but is already showing great potential.

We also have a smashing three-year-old Captain Caruso stallion named Achonry Candy Caruso out of Achonry Candy Girl. As some would say, ‘You’d stop in snow to look at him’ as he’s jet black with a white blaze and sock. Definitely one to keep an eye out for, as he will be for sale later this year.

4. Breeding eventers or show jumpers, any preference?

Definitely show jumpers. Everything we breed, on paper, is made for show jumping although a home-bred we sold a few years back – Cyrils Choice – went on to event in England.

Just in my opinion, there’s more of a market for show jumping horses in Ireland, but even if that wasn’t the case I think the show jumpers have a hold on me now.

We usually decide within the first month of a foal’s life what the plan is, but we rarely sell them as foals. As three-year-olds, we decide to break, sell or both.

5. Favourite bloodlines?

I love traditional Irish-bred horses with a mix of warmblood. For example, our breeding plan started with a Cavalier mare and matching her to stallions like Hermes de Reve, creating a strong, level-headed horse with some blood and scope. I’m also known to take a liking to a BWP stallion, such as Phenomene Bleu VDM.

Some of my dream stallions would include Edward 28, Cardento and Toulon for matching them to well-bred Irish mares.

6. Achonry is yours, thoughts on prefixes?

I’m a strong advocate for prefixes. The breeder deserves to use their prefix and not risk having it changed to make the horse more ‘saleable’. How else is the breeder to be recognised?

I own the Achonry prefix and it will go with every horse I have and will ever breed.

7. If you could have bred any horse?

I would have loved to have bred Chalou. I think he is one of the most unique horses of my generation, I love the way he moves and the way he’s built.

His breeding includes Chacco-Blue and Contender. There’s just something special about him and I wish he was never gelded!

8. Best advice you ever got?

It would have to be between these two:

“If you wouldn’t ask for their opinion, don’t listen to their criticism,” and something I heard in Michael Doherty’s podcasts with Clem McMahon about horse breeding: “If what you’re trying to breed is too far away from the mare, you probably shouldn’t be breeding from her.”

9. It takes a team – who’s on yours?

I have an incredible team behind me. My parents Frank Kelly and Kellie Cadman are my twin pillars – they hold me up – my grandparents, aunts and uncles and I am blessed to have a handful of genuine close friends.

I have always felt great support from the Kerins family: Noleen, Francie and Richard.

I know the whole Connaught show jumping community has always been behind me, not to mention having received some great encouragement from Trish and David Dodd.

10. Six people I’d love to have dinner with?

Elvis, Michael Collins, Paul Schockemöhle, Léon Melchior, my godmother – Noleen Cook and Eddie Macken.

I think there would be some interesting conversations to be had!