Meath winners at the ITBA awards

There was very much a Royal flavour to the National Breeding & Racing Awards at the Heritage Killinard Laois last week with three Meath people Paddy Kelly, Ken Parkhill and Joanne Lavery picking up awards.
Ovger 370 people attended the awards to honour and acknowledge the outstanding achievements of Irish breeders and Irish bred horses on both the flat and in national hunt during 2019.
During his address to the full house, Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association (ITBA) chairman Christy Grassick highlighted the need to actively engage with all general election candidates emphasising the rural reach and economic contribution our industry makes. 
He advised the ITBA activity plan for 2020 would concentrate on supporting small to medium sized breeders through its budget submission and political engagement. Also high on the list of priorities is animal welfare and traceability.
Grassick stressed ITBA’s commitment to the investing in and nurturing of future generations and welcomed the inaugural ITBA Next Generation Award, which went to Lavery who owned the highly rated Lady Kaya who was trained by her aunt Sheila Lavery in Summerhill.
Joanne Lavery has made a real impact on the business in a very short time. She has already experienced some amazing highs and some forgettable lows with Lady Kaya who broke a leg on the gallops in June and who had to be put down, but her steely determination to succeed will surely see her play a prominent role for years to come. 
As the first recipient of the Next Generation award Lavery journey with Lady Kaya was a rollercoaster, but her stoicism throughout has marked her down as someone to watch into the future as her and her family go in search of their next champion.
Lady Kaya was bought for just €15,000 and returned over €250,000 in winnings, including a runner-up finish at the 1,000 Guineas last May.
The second Meath winner on the night was Novice Hurdle breeder of the year Kenneth Parkhill of Castletown Quarry Stud, Trim.
Parkhill is one of the best known faces in Tattersalls Ireland. He is a man who sets the standard when it comes to breeding and developing a family of winners. He follows in a great family tradition, but he has made his own mark too, both as a veterinary surgeon and a National Hunt breeder par excellence.
Parkhill's success was inspired by City Island who was an astute buy at the Tattersalls Derby sale for only €31,000 by his trainer Martin Brassil and after an impressive bumper win at Punchestown, he looked set for a successful jumping career. 
After landing a maiden hurdle at the Leopardstown Christmas festival, the Court Cave gelding was an easy winner of the new Connolly’s Red Mills EBF series race at Naas, coming homeseven lengths clear under Mark Walsh. 
However, it was at the Cheltenham Festival that City Island stamped himself as one of the stars of the season when lining up for the Ballymore Novices hurdle, a race sponsored by his owners, Sean and Bernadine Mulryan.   
City Island’s dam, Victorine, is a half-sister to two Champion hurdle winners in Morley Street and Granville Again so it’s very fitting that he himself won at the Cheltenham festival for his acclaimed breeder, Ken Parkhill who is, following in the footsteps of his father, Marshall, breeder of both of  those two champions.
Ashbourne's Paddy Kelly picked up the smll breeders award. Operating out of Ballybin Stud Kelly is one of the best known figures in the Irish Bloodstock industry and one who is held in the highest regard. 
A leading veterinary surgeon in the Dublin/Meath region for many years, Kelly is also a valued advisor to many breeders within the industry and consigns for many of these breeders to most of the important sales in Britain and Ireland under his Ballybin stud banner. 
Kelly is also a highly respected breeder in his own right with a small band of broodmares, normally numbering about five, and 2019 was a particularly successful one for the Ratoath based breeder. 
Winston C was a dual Grade 1 winner over jumps in America; Lorelei Rock was a Stakes-winning 2yo in Italy, but the most impressive graduate from Kelly’s broodmare band was the impressive New Approach filly, New York Girl who won the Group 3 Weld Park stakes on only her second start. 
Kelly is one of the most respected individuals on the Irish Bloodstock scene and, one of the most successful small breeders in the country. 
 

ITBA National Breeding & Racing Awards 2019 winners

ITBA Next Generation: Joanne Lavery 

Young National Hunt Horse: Gypsy Island Breeder: Rosetown Bloodstock 

Novice Hurdler: City Island Breeder: Kenneth Parkhill

Novice Chaser: Lostintranslation Breeder:  Andrew Kavanagh

Hurdler: Paisley Park Breeder: Michael Conaghan

Chaser: Altior Breeder: Paddy Behan

Small Breeder: Paddy Kelly

2yr Old Filly:  Millisle Breeder:  Stonethorn Stud Farms Ltd

2yr Old Colt: Pinatubo Breeder: Godolphin

3yr Old Filly:  Iridessa Breeder: Whisperview Trading Ltd

3yr Old Filly: Search For A Song Breeder: Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd

3yr Old Colt: Ten Sovereigns Breeder: Camas Park, Lynch Bages & Summerhill

Wild Geese:  Mags O’Toole

Life Time Achievement: Philip Myerscough

Hall of Fame: JP McManus