BALLYSHAN is based on the Inishowen peninsula in Donegal. Paul, who is based outside Dungarvan in Waterford, also uses the prefix which is taken from Ballyloskey (where we live) and my father’s nickname was Brendan Doherty Shan (as Doherty is a very popular name in this part of Donegal!).

We’ve kept horses for most of our lives and our father always had a great interest from when he was young. We both worked in thoroughbred studs for a period of time but soon realised that moving away from that meant getting a nine-to-five job and to keep the horses as a hobby.

1. Congratulations on a successful year with Ballyshan B F Super Hero. Tell us more about his year and family.

We’ve had some great results this year from various home-breds. Ballyshan B F Super Hero has been one of them. He is from a Lux Z-Diamond Lad mare and Dad bought the Diamond Lad mare specifically to put to Lux. We then used Celtic Hero as we liked his type and carefulness and the Ogano Sitte blood appealed to us (as he’s the sire of Aganix du Seigneur).

We took him to the Elite foal selection in Cavan but his sire was too young I suppose for him to be considered for the sale. We loved his type, movement and presence from day one. He has been so consistent all year winning the RDS qualifier in Mullingar and also the first Dublin qualifier on the Thursday.

We have a two-year-old half-brother by Pegase Van’t Ruytershof, a yearling by Glynnwood Cornet and his dam is currently in foal again to Tangelo so hopefully a few more to come.

2. Proudest breeder moment?

Ballyshan B F Super Hero winning the Irish Breeders’ Classic has to be the highlight and also him being selected for Lanaken. It’s a show I try to attend every year and to have a home-bred competing this year is very exciting. We bred one previous Lanaken competitor in Ballyshan Arkansas. He was subsequently sold to America.

Another very exciting one is Ballyshan Contender (now named Cooley Nutcracker) who looks to be on his way to the top, having won the CCI4*-L at Tryon this year.

3. How many mares/foals do you currently have?

We currently breed from eight mares and have six foals this year which is as many as we have ever had: a Tangelo colt from Ballyshan Lux Important; a Goodluck VDL from Ballyshan Merdiva (Mermus R x Cavalier); a Conthalou (by Conthargos) from Ballyshan Titania (Goodluck VDL); a Quality Time from Ballyshan Balou (Balou Du Rouet) and then two Cascari’s from Ballyshan Contendra (Chacoa) and her dam Loch View Lass (Animo).

We like to sell as foals but some foals are not foal sellers and they have to be kept to later on. We’re in a better position to do this now than we were previously. We believe limited people can see the potential in a foal or three-year-old so hats off to Catríon Page who bought Ballyshan B F Super Hero as a foal and Martin Egan who spotted him as a three-year-old.

4. Co Donegal has produced famous show jumpers such as Paddys Son to Pacino Amiro. How do you market and sell your Donegal-breds?

It’s not easy getting people to travel to Donegal, however I believe the North is getting more attention now than it ever did as a lot of top-class bloodlines have been used here for the last few years and the results are now making people sit up and take notice.

People will travel if there is a few foals to see but getting them to look at one is hard. Paul is good at following the results of horses we have bred that are competing abroad.

5. Ballyshan is your prefix, thoughts on prefixes?

We are not that precious about the prefix. It does help to keep track of horses but if they leave Ireland or Britain and have the name changed, it’s very hard to keep track of them.

More importantly, breeders and producers need to work closer together in order to market Irish breeders and horses. This would be a win-win for everyone involved in the industry.

6. It takes a team - who’s on yours?

My father has been the main driver. He bought the three foundation mares and if we show him a stallion he doesn’t like, it soon gets removed from the list! He ensures everything is right and he has a great eye.

We also have two super vets in Anne Scott and John Haughey and without them it would be impossible to breed what we want. We also have a neighbour Willie John McKinney who is a great help with the young horses.

7. If you could have bred any horse, which one?

Comme Il Faut from when we saw him as a young horse. He was so exciting to watch and his stock are top-class.

8. Do breeders get enough recognition?

I think this is getting better but lots more could be done. The breeders’ prizes are great, but it is a pity that they are only available for some of the bigger competitions and not all of them. It would be great to see them in the RDS, Cavan International, etc.

I think we are lacking one good big show and sale like you get in mainland Europe. The Mayo Roscommon Breeders Group are trying really hard in this respect and with very limited funding compared to other government agencies. We need to attract more buyers to Ireland.

9. Best advice you ever got?

Go with your gut instinct and do what feels right for you. It is something we have always done when choosing stallions. If it doesn’t feel right, we don’t do it irrelevant of the stallion and, on occasions, that leads us to use young stallions.

10. What foals are due in 2024?

We have Emerald, Tangelo, Ermitage Kalone, Dorian Grey, Luigi D’Eclipse and Cascari foals due and if all goes according to plan, it should be exciting.