ONE very well chosen mare is what it took to start Bernard Jordan on the road to breeding and owning a string of successful Irish show jumping horses. The most notable of these, McGuinness, has proved to be an outstanding ambassador for Irish-bred horses around the world.

Bernard was born and reared on a farm in Ballymahon in Co Longford where his father always had a broodmare or two. “I remember we always had foals around the place and when I was seven years old I remember jumping up on one of these youngsters. That is probably the closest I ever came to being a rider,” said Bernard with a laugh on his 82nd birthday this week.

“I worked as the farm manager on the Castleforbes Estate for 50 years where I dealt mainly with the cattle. I retired about eight years ago now in 2011,” he explained.

Purchasing a mare some years ago was the beginning of a lovely journey as a breeder and owner for Jordan. “It’s over 21 years ago now, back in 1988, I decided to try my hand at breeding a sport horse and I bought a mare called Farnagh Goldie from Joe Flaherty.

“Her first foal was by Diamond Lad. I sold it as a foal and it went on to change hands once again as a three-year-old and was sold to Italian rider Francesco Franco. The pair then went on to win the National Discovery Final and have a great competition career together.

“Her next foal was a filly by Carroll’s Flight. I kept her until she was four and then sold her to British rider Kelly Brown. She renamed her Miss FiFi and they enjoyed some good success.”

Proudest day

Oftentimes, a horse needs to end up in the right hands, and the next foal certainly did and it took his breeding line to the next level. “In 1995 the next sire we decided on for her was Cavalier Royale and she produced a really nice colt foal called Clonguish Star. I sent him to John McGuinness, who lived locally, to break in and produce.

“They got on well together and when he was five years old they gave me what was probably my proudest day as an owner when they won the five-year-old final at the Dublin Horse Show in 2000.

“There is something very special about winning in Dublin. That year turned out to be a fantastic one for us. Clonguish Star and John also won the five-year-old championship in Millstreet and Balmoral. I think he may be the only horse to ever have won all three championships in the same year.

“That same year we were competing at the September show in Cavan and Clonguish Star was spotted by American rider Rich Fellers.

“At that time I had no notion to sell the horse but Rich really wanted him and frankly, he made me an offer that was too good to refuse.

“It turned out to be a very good move for Rich as the sky was the limit when they got together. In 2003, when he was just eight years old and had been renamed McGuinness (Clonguish proved too much of a mouthful for the American market, and also as a homage to John McGuinness), they won the $10,000 AGA 1.45m Championship in Palm Beach, Florida, the $20,000 Atco Cup, and the $50,000 Grand Prix at Edmonton Northlands Show in Alberta, Canada.

“They also went on to win a 1.50m International Speed Class at Spruce Meadows and also won the $40,000 Country Classic Grand Prix in Oregon. At the end of the summer that year they won the $50,000 Fort Langley Grand Prix and were placed second in the $10,000 Tommy Bahama Grand Prix at Thunderbird Showpark Show in British Columbia, Canada.

“They went on to win countless classes together over the next few years and in 2005 McGuinness was named the USEF Leading Grand Prix Horse of the Year,” the proud breeder explained, recounting very fond memories.

Next generation

“In 1998 Farnagh Goldie had a filly foal by Tanaos and we called her Clonguish Gold. She enjoyed a successful competition career under Aisling Byrne and as a result, she took over as my main broodmare when Farnagh Goldie was too old.

“Clonguish Gold is now 21 years old but during her years has produced some nice horses including Clonguish Cameo, who was showing great potential until she was forced into early retirement at six and is now our main broodmare.

“We currently have a foal by CC Captain Cruise out of her that looks very nice. She is also the dam of Clonguish Vivaro, a gelding I have in work with Olive Clarke. He is one we are very excited about. He is by Vivaldo Van Het Costersveild and has been placing consistently at 1.35m and 1.40m all year.

“The plan is for him to do National Grands Prix and some New Heights Grands Prix next summer. Myself and my wife Geraldine get great pleasure out of watching him and we go to the shows in Cavan, Mullingar and Sligo, anywhere that is within about an hour of home here in Longford to watch him.”

A staunch supporter of the sport, Jordan would love to see owners, riders and breeders alike, benefit from increased prize money.

“The horses have always provided a great interest for us and we have been lucky to have a few that have done very well, but if there is one thing that I think could be improved on it would have to be the prize money in this country.

“When you compare it to the continent you can see just how bad it is. You couldn’t dream of making a living out of this sport if you were depending on the prize money. When you look at the shows abroad, if you get placed at all the money is quite good most of the time. Here, even if you win the class you could be struggling, so I would hope that could be improved.”