BUILDING a good reputation is vital in the horse business. Having owners who trust you to do the best job possible often leads to more horses being sent your way. This is what has happened to Elaine O’Neill.

Over the past 20 years she has learned from the best and that, along with her hard work and talent, has seen her build up her own yard in Co Kildare and develop a string of successful horses.

She took some time out last week to chat with The Irish Field and describe her journey over the past two decades. “My father Padraic and his brother, the late Seamus O’Neill used to stand Connemara stallions, and show Connemara ponies in hand, so I had horses in my life from very early on. The best known of their sires would probably be Garryhinch Finn who was very successful,” Elaine explained.

“We got the bug from them and we started our first riding lessons over in Mullingar Equestrian when we were four or five. From there we joined the local pony club, my Dad was actually DC of the Offaly Pony Club for a while. We did a bit of everything there. After that we began jumping ponies at SJI shows; we used to produce them and sell them on, so that’s how it all started I suppose.

“After ponies I spent a year and a half with Gisela Holstein who lived quite close by. It started out just going for flatwork lessons and then she asked me if I would like to go as a working student.

“School was never really my thing so I decided to leave at the end of fifth year. This was a great opportunity for me and I began working with Gisela. That is where I got my grounding in flatwork and dressage.

“While I was there I got my first young rider horse. I then moved on and spent a year with Tom Slattery down in Tynagh in Galway. After that I moved home and did my BHS teaching exams. I was still producing youngsters in the background. When I got my exams we decided to try to build up a bit of a string for the young riders classes.”

Building up a string

Things started to progress for Elaine when a special horse came her way. “I began training with Dan Walsh. I met up with him for lessons in Maynooth for about the next three years. During that time we were producing and selling as well.

“It was then that I found my good mare, Ballycoolan Flight, as a five-year-old. She was left into the yard as a livery to sell and we ended up buying her ourselves. We saw her potential and thought she could be something special.

“With Dan’s help we went up through the young rider ranks together and got up to jumping at 1.40m level.

“I then went on my first ever buying trip to Holland, which was a major deal for me. I bought a good Darco x Grannus four-year-old mare and Dad bought me a yearling filly by Corland as a birthday surprise. I produced both of them through the age classes, the Darco horse (Pow Wow Z) qualified for Dublin as a six-year-old.

“I then got the opportunity to train with Clem McMahon. I brought Ballycoolan Flight and Pow Wow Z with me. I was thrown in at the deep end there. I remember I hadn’t been there too long and we went to Coilog. We placed in the 1.40m on the Saturday and when we got home that evening Clem said ‘I’ve entered you for the 1.50m tomorrow’! I just said ‘Oh okay…that was my introduction to the bigger classes!

“That mare made all my dreams come true. She taught me about jumping big fences and riding big tracks. She was amazing. Unfortunately she was injured as a 10-year-old. We tried everything for 18 months with vets to get her sound but to no avail.

“We could have sold her a million times over when she was sound but my Dad wanted to keep her for me to progress on so it was really bad luck.

“We kept her as a broodmare. I have three foals from her. Two stallions, Ballyfore Amuzed (Pollux De Muze Z) and Ballyfore First Flight (Cobra), who are seven and eight, and a six-year-old gelding by Tangelo.”

Going alone

“After spending about three years with Clem where I learned a huge amount, I then decided to return home and we set up Ballyfore Sporthorses about 11 years ago.

“We don’t have much land at home so we rented a bigger yard Kingsdale Stud close by. We were there for about four years until one of my owners, an American man named Eddie McKeon, decided to build a yard for me in Carbury, Co Kildare.

“I have produced a few horses for him, including the Dutch-bred Hard To Beat, who I brought on from a five-year-old up to 1.35m and was sold to Molly Taylor. Just some of the others that my Dad bred and I have produced include Ballyfore Lola who is competing here under Charlie Flanagan. Ballyfore Abbey is doing dressage in Sweden; Ballyfore Omie is show jumping up to 1.40m in Sweden and Ballyfore Oh Man went to America where he is eventing at two-star level.”

Support

Elaine considers herself lucky to have supportive owners. “At the moment my top horse is the eight-year-old Olympic Gl FVD. We sourced him as a three-year-old for our very good and supportive owner Keith Ennis.

“He is a big rangy horse, he’s a bit quirky and is very sensitive. He is very careful and talented. I think he has a very bright future. I hope to finish the year with the 1.45m in Cavan and step him up to 1.50m next year.

“Another owner that joined us recently is Laura Carrick. She breeds her horses and then sends them to me once they are broken for me to produce further.

“Michael Callery is also a new owner for us. He just dropped in a super-talented four-year-old mare named Greenacres Balou, she is very special. I can’t wait to see her progress.

“These days I train regularly with Johnny O’Connell. I find he trains each individual horse. He doesn’t just treat them all the same which I like.

“My Dad owns ‘Pauric O’Neill Showjumping and Cross Country fences’ and makes fences which can be seen all over the country so that’s going really well. I was approached by TRM earlier this year to see if I would like to be sponsored by them. To have their support is amazing. I’m very grateful.

“To have horses the calibre of Olympic GI FVD and Greenacres Balou is a real privilege and I don’t take it for granted. I know how lucky I am and am looking forward to seeing how far we can go together in the future,” she concluded.