I NEVER remember a time I didn’t love horses. I got this from Nigel, my father, who has a real natural gift for horses. His grandfather promised to take him to Banbridge Horse Fair to buy a pony for his 14th birthday, but the day before, he sadly died, and so Dad never got the pony. When he left school and started work, he bought two thoroughbred foals with his first pay packet.

My parents have seven children. I’m number three and the only one interested in horses. As a young child, we kept Bonnie, a Shetland, in the back garden before my parents built a house with a couple of stables. I remember coming home from school, immediately tacking up my dun Connemara gelding Samson and heading off round the roads with Mum or Dad usually following behind in the car.

In 2006, my parents purchased 22 acres of rough farmland, which is now the Lisburn base of Kilcorig Sport Horses.

Our first two foals were born that spring: Kilcorig Belle (Camiro de Haar Z - Graf Shenaningans, by Scirocco Delle) and Kilcorig Rose (Camiro de Haar Z - Baby Doll, by Euro Clover) and that’s when the breeding bug really hit.

Dad bought Kilcorig Belle’s dam - Graf Shenanigans - after only seeing her head over the stable door. Belle, her first foal, jumped up to 1.40m with Emma Jackson and then her first foal, Kilcorig Elysium (Cornet Obolensky), jumped 1.60m with Paddy O’Donnell. Last year’s highlights were finishing 10th in his first Hickstead Derby and second in the Dublin Puissance.

Now we have around 30 horses, between broodmares, youngstock and young sport horses.

1. Congratulations - a Burghley to remember this year?

We were delighted to have two Kilcorig horses at Burghley. Graf Shenanigans also bred the five-star eventer Cooley Lafitte (Je T’Aime Flamenco). ‘Henry’ and Jesse Campbell (NZL) had a fantastic season with three top-10 four-star finishes and 13th at Burghley CCI4*-L.

Our other home-bred, Kilcorig Gotcha Talkin (Tyson), owned by Sleighduff Stud’s Pat Murray and Lauren Painter and ridden by Ros Canter, won the BYEH (Burghley Young Event Horse) four-year-old final. He is the first foal we bred from our mare Gotcha Nema (Casall) after importing her from her Dutch breeder.

Ipanema Z, Gotcha Nema’s mother, jumped internationally up to 1.55m and is from a prolific Holsteiner line of 1.60m show jumpers and stallions, such as Clinton I, Clinton II and Levisto Z.

Her previous Emerald foal - Escada Nema Z - is now very successful in seven-year-old jumping classes in Europe. Gotcha’s next foal Kilcorig Agallix (Aganix) was sold in the Cavan Elite Foal Sale for €20,500 and is featured in Goresbridge’s three-year-old supreme sale this October. We’ve retained her rising two-year-old Carrera VDL filly.

It wasn’t too long ago I was just a little girl who shared a love of horses with her dad. Back then, I could never have imagined a day when I’d be watching the greatest event rider in the world riding a horse I bred at one of the most iconic young horse finals. And then to have a 5* runner at the same event with another Olympic rider. Surreal. I’d never have had these experiences without my family’s support.

2. Proudest breeder moment?

Although we’ve enjoyed some really special days with horses we’ve bred, the most special aren’t because of high-place finishes. I’m most proud whilst kneeling beside a newly-foaled mare and basking in the thrill of new life. My mares are like family to me.

3. Broodmares?

Paddy O'Donnell competing on Kilcorig Elysium, in the Defender Puissance during the 2025 Dublin Horse Show \ Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile

4. “Fools breed horses for wise men to buy.” Agree/disagree?

I don’t think anyone is immune to the disappointments that come with keeping horses, but breeding is often undervalued; it’s certainly a lot harder than some may think. We generally focus on the highlights and success stories, but no one talks about being up all night for days on end trying to save one, or losing a mare or both. You can do everything right and still have bad days.

We’re delighted to have five lovely foals this year, but we’ve had devastating losses and tough years getting mares in foal. You can’t dwell on those days though, you have to keep looking forward, holding onto the next dream and wish everyone the best along the way.

5. Kilcorig is yours, thoughts on prefixes?

I’m a strong advocate for prefixes. As a breeder, it can be the only thing that helps you keep track of your stock. It also obviously helps create a recognisable brand for a breeder and certain bloodlines.

6. Current standout stallion?

I feel that too much focus is placed on a sire’s input. I think we could follow the lead of some other studbooks and support younger stallions more.

In my opinion, if you’re buying a horse based on the stallion’s name, you’re getting it wrong. Look at the mare, the mother line, performance records. Call the breeders.

Breeding to me is not just putting fancy names on a page, it’s about producing a product that functions well at its intended purpose and brings joy to the people that own it.

7. Social media - positive or negative?

Positive. More information, more knowledge, more choice, greater networking opportunities.

8. That famous horse you’d love to have bred?

Lordships Graffalo. I’m not really an event horse breeder as such, but watching this horse round a five-star is breathtaking, just a total phenomenon.

9. It takes a team. Who’s on yours?

My husband James and I run the horses, followed closely by our three-year-old daughter Grace. James comes from a farming background, so gets all the fun tractor and land maintenance jobs. He’s also very good at early morning vet runs with mares! Honestly, I’d be lost with him.

We have a big family support team. I’m the only one of seven children with the horse bug, but they’ve always backed me.

We aren’t full-time at horses. We’re blessed to be involved and supported by our family’s agricultural businesses Newrock Engineering, Lagan Valley Bearings and Blue Rose Global. We design, manufacture and distribute agricultural machinery. A close family, headed by two amazing parents, who have always encouraged us to chase our dreams.

10. An eventful day?

Has to be about the day Kilcorig Gotcha Talkin was born. We’d just finished watching the Balmoral five-year-old class, thousands of people around and the foaling alarm goes off.

Although our farm is only five minutes away, we weren’t going to make it home in time with the show traffic, so I called my brother Christopher to leave work and check the mare. Highly allergic to horses, zero horse experience, he ensured ‘Harry’ was delivered safe and well, although he may have gone through a bottle of antihistamines to recover from the ordeal.