GOOD things come to those who wait. This adage has never been more true than in the case of Belline Equestrian owner Richard Ames.

As the British native celebrates a decade in Ireland since moving here and buying the Belline Estate Equestrian in Piltown, Co Kilkenny, almost 10 years ago, the team at Belline has recorded an incredible run of success this year.

In August they won both young event horse classes at the Dublin Horse Show; Belline Special Lady (Pointilliste x O.B.O.S Quality 004) took the four-year-old title while Kief Rhapsody of Belline (Sligo Candy Boy x Lux Z) won the five-year-olds.

These victories came after wins in the Stepping Stones league finals in the Spring, and were followed by a win in the EI120 National Championships in Lisgarvan at the start of September with the 10-year-old Ballyvillane OBOS (OBOS Quality x Gleesons Coolcorran).

Robbie Kearns and Ballyvillane OBOS at the 4*-S at Hartpury \ Anne Hughes

Last weekend in the Michael Leonard Memorial Trophy for CCI1*-Intro for five and six-year-olds at Ballindenisk, Robbie Kearns took first place aboard Belline Thistle Bethelasttime, second went to Belline Castle Fifty Seven and third was Caitie Slater riding Belline Imperial Diamond, all owned by Richard.

Speaking to The Irish Field, Ames explained how he has always had a passion for horses, especially eventing. His interest began when his daughters started to compete on the circuit in the UK almost 30 years ago. His other passion is hunting and he was Master of the Suffolk Hunt for 20 years.

“The team is made up of our two riders Robbie Kearns and Caitie Slater, our head girl Maxine Rey and her helpers Grace Butler and Emily Wood. Ray and Brian look after all yard maintenance,” he said.

“Patrick Byrne also has two or three horses of mine, as does Noel Dunne, and Joseph Murphy. At the moment we would have probably 20 horses in work, and nine three-year-olds which we are producing for next year, they are either with us here or away being broken in.

“We have a couple of OAP’s on site; the top horse GS Gemima, who I still think is the horse with the most eventing points ever, and Flying Finish, both of whom are enjoying a very happy retirement. All together we have about 45 to 50 horses.

“Most of the horses I buy come from private owners and breeders, many of whom I’ve dealt with in the past, or from people we would know that know the type of horses that we would like. I will always go and look at any horse, it doesn’t mean I’m going to buy them, but it helps that we have a number of good sources,” he explained.

Caitie Slater and Belline Special Lady winning the four-year-old young event horse class at the 2023 Dublin Horse Show \ Louise O'Brien Photography

Type and movement

“When I go to see a horse, what I’m looking for is actually very simple; first I look to see if it’s the type I want, I think we are all looking for a little more blood in the youngsters now. Then it is movement, and then, has it got a natural jump. If the first two things work then we would pop it over something small, no more than 1m just to see if they have that natural athletic ability.

“These days, if you are producing horses to sell them, then the American market is definitely looking for a blood type. The sport of eventing is growing in America and you have got to produce what people are looking for.

“The sport has changed as well. Our dressage tests are probably as hard as they’ve ever been and the half marks that have been introduced have meant that the leaderboard can be very close after dressage. It can be one show jump or two show jumps between first and last place.

“In the long format, at the top level the horse may have to gallop for ten to twelve minutes, jumping 30-35 obstacles in a technical track within the time allowed so they have to have the stamina.

“In the short version they are galloping for six to eight minutes so the stamina you get in the thoroughbred is not quite so important but either way when they come out on the final day you cannot afford to have even one show down, so we are looking for very specific horses these days, especially ones that may go right to the top.”

Traditionally bred

So does he think that this lean towards the more blood type of horse could favour the traditional Irish Draught/TB cross going forward?

“I think if you go to find an Irish Draught stallion today it wouldn’t be the same as the one you would find 15 or 20 years ago, they are much finer now. So maybe. We have one who is traditionally bred, Belline JFH Golden Spear (Jackaroo x Ballybolger Georgina), and I think he will make a five-star horse one day.

“I think all the really top, top horses are all a little bit freakish. They all have that special something about them, whatever that something may be, whether it be in their mind or their body or their ability, they will always be the ones that come to the top. Irish sport horses are wonderful, no doubt about it.

“For all riders, at the top level or just people riding for fun, the Irish Sport Horse is right up there with the best of them. If the breeders get it right people will always come back and buy them. You just have to look at the marketplace now. We still have lots of overseas buyers coming in looking for Irish horses.

“I think I can tell fairly quickly if a horse has what it takes. The five-year-old that won everything this year (Kief Rhapsody of Belline); I saw him as a two-year-old in the field and I could not, not buy that horse; the movement he had was unbelievable and his breeding is such that we know he can jump.

“Now, to run a horse up to five-star is exceptionally expensive, and you can’t keep them all. With a lot of them we syndicate the horses. It’s a way to get other people involved in eventing while still holding on to a share of them ourselves. We can get them excited by a horse which has already had good results. It also allows you to put some money back into the kitty to buy the next set of potential superstars.

“Horses are not my main business so we are lucky. We have the time. We don’t have to sell our horses until we are ready. I also think it’s very important to only sell a horse to someone that will be a perfect fit for that animal.

“I use the analogy with ladies going out and buying Jimmy Choo shoes which cost a fortune, look beautiful and by the end of the evening all they want to do is take them off and put their slippers on. There is no point in buying a horse that isn’t a perfect fit.”

Wonderful year

“We are so fortunate at Belline. We have had a wonderful year. From my point of view it’s a team thing, from the grooms who get up in the dark at 6am, while the rider is walking the cross-country in the rain; without the strong team we have we wouldn’t get the results we have.

“It has taken the 10 years for us to build up to the point we have now where the Belline name is associated with producing nice horses. It’s about the provenance really; from the breeders with the lovely mares choosing the stallion to selling them as foals, to people bringing them on and selling them as three-year-olds, to us competing them. When someone comes to look at a horse we can tell them about it every step of the way, we know where it has come from and where it has been and stand by it. It’s a lovely thing for people to know.”