2021 has been an exciting year here for us at Trevalda!

In January, I stumbled across and advertisement for a Class 1 stallion listed in Ireland. I previously had had fleeting thoughts and dreams of one day importing a new stallion to take over the duties from Ballineen Blue Mountain as he got older but I would soon dismiss these thoughts as fast as they appeared when the realization hit that I too was getting older!

 

BUT... the stallion advertised was a fabulous horse and one that I thought was a perfect fit for our New Zealand market. Class 1 stallions very rarely come up for sale, but Covid has changed many things. I started chatting with Padraic Corcoran who's yard, Derrynasagurt Silver was at, but just a day later he informed me that the horse had been sold locally. I have to admit, that I was almost relieved.

 

Padraic has started and competed many stallions over the years including Kingsway Diamond before he was exported to NZ, so him and I had lots of interesting chats.

 

A few days later, Padraic messaged to inform me that the sale had fallen through (apparently an argument between the Irish man buying and the Irish man selling) :) soooo, the horse was back on the market BUT he was being chased by a few Countries around the World!

 

I made contact with Aidan Flanagan of GoldSmith Country Irish Horses whom I had had dealing with in the past and thankfully, he knew Sean and Freddie Scannell who were selling the horse. Aidan negotiated some extra time, and the horse was held for me until Aidan could get to view him on my behalf. Aidan made the long journey down to Cork to Padraic's yard and its fair to say that he was very impressed with what he saw. Aidan took lots of photos and video footage for me and between him and Padraic that absolutely believed that he was the perfect type of horse that I was after.

 

He was a great modern type of Irish Draught, very leggy and free moving and with a great nature. I had to make a snap decision there and there to decide if I was going to take him or not. The deal was done, and I was the proud new owner of a Class 1 stallion. OMG, what have I done (I lived with these thoughts until he arrived another 3 months later! At the end of March, Padraic loaded Silver onto a transporter that would take him through to quarantine in Germany. With both Covid and Brexit, the World has changed and this has affected everything we do, including the purchase, export and transport of horses (mostly...it costs alot more)! Silver handled his quarantine with ease and ended up putting on 60kg in his 21 days in Germany. He then flew to Melbourne, Australia where he quarantined for a further 15 days before his flight to NZ. He landed safely in Auckland on the 13th May and then at 8am on the 16th May, a Majestic Horse Transporter rolled up my driveway.

 

As I heard it coming, I didn't know how I felt. There was apprehension, there was butterflies, there was also relief that he was finally here. I had invested so much into the horse that was soon about to step down the truck ramp. The door came down, and my eyes welled, as there stood the most beautiful, majestic stallion. Right at that moment, I knew I had made the right decision! It was the middle of Winter in the deep South and he was sporting a lovely, sleek Summer coat, so Gavin and I rugged him up and let him out into his new paddock. Him and Ballineen Blue Mountain said a brief 'hello' to each other and over the next couple of days Silver settled right into his new life at Trevalda.

 

He's a very cool horse. He seems very happy living outside (something he's not used to) and he has the loveliest sweet nature. He's a very typical young Irish lad that likes to put everything in his mouth and I have to admit to getting a couple of nips but he is very quickly learning the consequence of his actions!

 

The intention was to give him some time to settle in, but after just a few days, I had clambered on board and was riding him... and WOW, what a lovely ride he is. Beautiful and uphill, balanced and a kick along ride that feels as safe as houses! He is the best horse I have ever hacked and he happily canters over the farm on a loose rein and doesn't look sideways at anything!

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Silver had his first handful of outings at the end of the 2021/22 season, a Pony Club jumping Day and a Mini Show. His behavior at both could not be faulted and he placed well at both events including a Champion Hack and Champion Led Hack and placing in two of his jumping classes. He has a fantastic jump in him, approaches fences at a lovely balanced canter and shows extremely good form. 

 

I have every faith that Silver will step up and carry on the success of the Irish Sport horse in New Zealand that Ballineen Blue Mountain has rekindled. First crop of foals due this coming 2023 Spring.

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