Open Day is a Great Success

5 April 2010

The sun shone, Breeders & Producers flocked to Lougherne Stud in Co.Down and the stallions performed to perfection at the inaurgural Stud Open Day & celebrations to mark Limmerick's 20th Birthday. William & Jane Collins showed each stallion trotting up & jumping accompanied with breeding & performance statistics announced by local equine commentator Raymond Bready & Top Breeder John Reid. The Group 1 Derby winner, Houmayoun started off the proceedings & belied his grand old age of 24 by sporting for the crowds. Luca Stubbington gave a faultless dressage display on the 148cm pocket rocket Brinkums Helmut & in an interview with the roving microphone explained their hopes for a European team place for this year. Throughout the stallion displays Lougherne Studs International Rider Thorstan Wittenburg explained each horses characteristics & performance potential to the crowds. Progeny were shown & the breeding merits for each stallion were discussed. Thorstan then thrilled the spectators with a Masterclass session aided by Irish international event rider Joanne Jarden on her stallion "Gee Appollo".

Lougherne Stud presented several of their new sires for 2010, the 2 year old, Quidam de Revel bred Quick Step and the jumping sensation Lougherne Cashell. This holstein son of World Cup Qualifier winner Casall la silla produced the same jump & technique for the crowds as can be viewed on Lougherne Stud web site video (www.loughernestud.com/stallions). "He is a serious performance horse that will add technique & blood to our Irish mares. L.Cashell is only available at stud for this season & it's an opportunity not to miss for the serious jumping breeder. He returns to Thorstan to compete in the German Bundeschampionades under the Lougherne banner next year", explained Jane Collins. Lougherne Stud operates a Young stallion Policy which enables Breeders to access top performance blood lines at motivating prices. This coupled with Stud fee Incentives available on the day reassured Breeders that taking their mare to stud would be a financially viable option. William Collins confirmed " We at Lougherne Stud offer the best genetics in the world at the best prices in the world - it makes financial sense to breed to succeed with Lougherne performance stallions".

The finale of the stallion performance section reached its climax with Birthday Boy Limmerick strutting his stuff for his fans. Limmerick daughter Loughview Lou Lou, European Irish Team Member & multiple Grand Prix winner joined the party with her owner & breeder Judith Sossick. John Reid explained that the planned arrival of 3*** Irish Elite Squad Eventers Laras Song & Magennis had unfortunately been cancelled as they were both abroad competing for Ireland. In such esteemed company & as the commentators read out his progeny's achievements it is understandable why Limmerick is the top performance sire in Ireland & truly deserves the title Sire of Champions.
As the champagne corks popped everyone was invited to join the Lougherne Team in the hospitatilty Marque to celebrate Limmericks & our Breeders achievements. Alan Dunlop, Stud Vet and bacteriologist Herbie Walker were available to discuss all aspects of mare fertility backed up by a practical display table of microscopes & slides. Leading Farrier Colin McCormick also displayed a table explaining the myths behind orthopedic shoeing. Although Lougherne Studs Grand Prix stallions Lougherne Cavann & Lougherne Connaught could not attend in person (maybe next year) they were certainly there in spirit as they were viewed all day on large video screenes featuring 2009 & 2010 competition footage. These boys are available via frozen semen in 2010 & ofcourse their Rider Thorstan Wittenberg chatted to all the Breeders at the Party. Pauline Carlisle, Breeder of Show Champion "I'm Chadwick" & local top young horse Producer Ann Lyons, owner of 2009 All Ireland winner "Indicator", manned the cake & coffee table all day. "The horses & the hospitality were second to none" stated one Breeder "and the expertise on hand both foreign & local who were so willing to share their breeding knowledge was enlightening for any level of Breeder", Meanwhile a delighted William & Jane Collins explained, "You need friends in this business & today has certainly proved that. A special thanks to Julie Patterson for preparing the stallions, Janice Stevenson and Roisin & Patricia Connon. This will definately be an annual event . We are very focused on our performance goals & pride ourselves in giving our Breeders access to the top bloodlines in the world with customer service to match".
The whole day was captured on video by Leo Larkin of Flat Out Media & will be up on You Tube shortly along with the 2010 Lougherne Stud dvd. For further information on the stud or to receive a dvd/brochure please contact William on 07710935446 or view the stallion perform on the web site www.loughernestud.com