| 7 EQUINE » Trevalda Irish Sporthorses Breed making its mark on NZ equestrian scene Kelly Deeks Hamish Crossan (15), Gavin Crossan, foundation stallion Ballineen Blue Mountain, Tracy Crossan, Ryan Crossan (13). Trevalda Irish Sporthorses has just secured the future of the pure Irish Draught breed in New Zealand through the key purchase of two highly sought after mares, Goldsmith Country Ma Belle (Mabel) and Goldsmith Country Mon Cherie (Cherie), and the importation of stallion Derrynasagurt Silver (Silver). Stud owner Tracy Crossan says that Trevalda now owns six of the only seven purebred mares in New Zealand not related to her stallions. Five of those in her stud have been imported from the UK. “Our foundation stallion, Ballineen Blue Mountain has been a fabulous ambassador for the stud but is now getting older and these latest purchases have set us up for a pretty great future of breeding purebred Irish Draughts. It means we can cross the bloodlines over and increase the purebred herd here in New Zealand, something I’m very committed to,” she says. Mabel and Cherie were imported from Ireland in 2019 by friend Tamzin Paterson before the opportunity came to purchase them at the start of this year. Indicating the signi cance of the purchase, Ireland’s Irish Draught Horse Breeders Society wrote an article about the horses leaving the country as both are proli c show winners in Ireland with Mabel taking out many Supreme Championships and twice being placed in the Irish Draught mare class at the Dublin Royal Show. Purebred stallion Silver was a lucky purchase with Class 1 stallions very rarely coming up for sale. Trevalda now has the only two Class 1 Irish Draught stallions in Australasia. “I saw Silver advertised and was informed that he had been sold that same day but when that original sale fell through, and with the Irish contacts I had, I got the chance to secure him. I had to make a decision almost immediately as he was being chased by several other countries. It was a long couple of months waiting for him to arrive but as soon as he stepped off the transporter, he was everything I had hoped for and more. He’s a fabulous horse to ride and is showing great promise as a jumping type and I hope to be out competing on him this season and get him quali ed for Horse of the Year.” She says the pandemic has seen the cost of importing horses skyrocket so the recent purchases will keep the stud going for some time. Trevalda is the biggest purebred Irish Draught breeding herd outside of the UK and Tracy says it is producing animals recognised worldwide as some of the best. Trevalda breeds what Tracy de nes as a “modern athletic” Irish Draught and the bloodlines at the stud are the best available of that type. “I’ve gone down that path as we need to compete in the sport horse market currently dominated in New Zealand by European Warmblood stallions,” she says. “The Irish horses we are breeding are really starting to make their mark on New Zealand’s equestrian scene with great results in almost all disciplines including Horse of The Year title winners.” More people are turning to the Irish Draught breed and sales of Ballineen Blue Mountain’s shipped semen has risen from only a handful of mares in his rst year at stud in 2012, to around 70 mares per season. Trevalda can collect semen and ship it anywhere in New Zealand overnight, resulting in progeny being produced as far North as the Bay of Islands and as far South as Invercargill. Most of the mares semen is sent to are Warmblood or Thoroughbred and the result is the extremely versatile Irish Sport horse, says Tracy. Tracy personally AI’s all of her own mares and foals them down with the help of husband Gavin on their 720ha Maniototo sheep and beef farm that they run in conjunction with Gavin’s parents. “The foals are in great demand as society is changing, people are busy and want horses that are easy care, low maintenance and don’t need to be ridden every day. That’s the advantage the Irish Draught has over the Warmbloods, which can be much higher maintenance.” She says the number one bene t of Irish Draughts is temperament. Traditionally the breed was required to pull a plough for the farmer, be nimble and agile enough to take that farmer hunting and have the temperament to pull the family trap to church on a Sunday. “They are a solid type horse with more bone and with that comes soundness, which is really important. They have a great work ethic, are super trainable and most would be more than happy living in your house if you let them.” As an indication of the breed’s rise in popularity, Tracy, who is also the registrar for the Irish Draught Horse Society NZ says that over the past ten years there has been an average of 15-20 registrations per year but this year that gure is more likely to hit 50. mitavite.co.nz Leading accounting and business professionals - providing specialist advice to farming, business and rural communities for over 60 years Proud to partner with Trevalda Irish Sporthorses 69 Tarbert St, Alexandra | (03) 440 0100 | www.iclca.co.nz FOCUSED ON YOUR FUTURE
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