SLYGUFF Stud lost Kings Master, one of the country’s best traditional stallions, last week. The 26-year-old had officially retired from covering duties this year and has 769 foals registered to date with Horse Sport Ireland.
Bred by the late Tom O’Neill, Kings Master was completely home-bred as his sire Master Imp and dam Ashling 2, by Highland Flight, were both foaled at Slyguff. Ashling 2, when covered by Highland Flight in 1974, produced Kings Master’s half-brother, Highland King.
Gina Miles’s 2004 Hong Kong Olympics individual silver medallist McKinlaigh; Ballincoola, who won Burghley the following year for William Fox-Pitt, and Michael Owens’s The Highland Prince are among Highland King’s four-star progeny. His younger half-brother also produced four-star event horses in Aidan Keogh’s Rolex Kentucky and Pau runner, Master Tredstep, plus Master Banks with Nicola Wilson.
Kings Master sired several three-star horses, including Paulank Brockagh’s younger half-brother Paulank Kings River, also ridden by Sam Griffiths, Avoca Druid and Ballycreen Milord. His full-sister Miss Ash was the dam of Ludwig Svennerstål’s three-star mare Franzipan, by Balda Beau.
‘Billy’ as he was known to his many fans, excelled at producing traditional stamps and broodmare daughters, with correct limbs and his exceptional temperament. Among his numerous Dublin champions are supreme hunter Connswater River (2005) and working hunter duo, The Kings Cavalier (2006) and Kilpatrick Lord (2009).
Kings Marshall, later renamed Kilcroney, won the 2003 three-year-old loose jumping final and the future FEHL champion went on to compete at the young event horse championships at Le Lion D’Angers in 2007. Both Stellor King (2008) and Ballycreen Milord (2010) were the five-year-old event horse champions and his most recent Dublin show champions include the riding horse Queens Master (2017) and this year’s hunter mare champion Ballarin My Lady.
The latter is one of several Kings Master progeny sold to UK showing producer Katie Jerram-Hunnable, including her Goresbridge Go For Gold purchases Ballycreen His Lordship and Gortglas Rincarina. Assagart Mistress, The Kings Mistress and Irish Light are just some of his Limerick Lady champions, with Irish Light also winning the All Ireland two-year-old filly final and Dublin filly championship that same year (2009).
Kings Master’s heir at Slyguff is his son Master Choice.