Spotlight on Demo Horse: O'Leary's Irish Diamond

O’Leary’s Irish Diamond (aka "Irish") is a 16.2 hand 1994 grey Registered Irish Draught stallion, by Glidawn Diamond out of Grey Curragong. Having received the highest scores of the inspection from the Irish Horse Board in 1997 in Ireland, Irish then completed his performance phase in the United States, when for the first time, the Irish Horse Board traveled here.Irish has excelled in the disciplines of Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing. Some highlights include:

*2000 Champion 3rd level Dressage Assoc. of Southern California

*2002 Open Jumper Champion

*2002 Open Modified Jumper Champion

*2004 Qualified USDF Regional Championships at Prix St. George

*USDF Performance Certificates in 1st, 2nd & 3rd level

Irish has arguably the most impressive bloodlines in the Irish Draught Horse world. His sire Glidawn Diamond is by arguably the best RID stallion of our time, King of Diamonds. During his lifetime, King of Diamonds was ranked by the World Breed Federation as the 7th best producer of show jumpers in the World! Some of King of Diamonds offspring include Mill Pearl, Special Envoy, Pinon Muldoon, Joe II, Dury Ladd and Milstreet Ruby. Glidawn Diamond’s dam, Kildalton Countess is by Ben Purple who was also known as a great producer of Grand Prix jumpers and eventers such as Custom Made, winner of Gold in the 2000 Olympics with David O’Conner.

Irish resides at Kinson Stud (www.kindsonstud.com) in Big Fork, Montana, with owner Melissa Cason-Kinney. Irish has many notable progeny, including fellow WEG demo horse, Braveheart, and doesn't mind at all staying very busy during the breeding season these days! Look for Irish to perform Show Jumping and Hunter demonstrations at WEG!

Most recently, Irish was chosen to be a Breyer Horse portrait model for 2010. The model horse is now available for purchase at http://www.breyerhorses.com/products/product.php?item=1277. Everyone at Kindson Stud is very excited about this amazing honor and hope that it heightens the Irish Draught horse breed around the world. Irish will be on display at Breyerfest 2010 from July 23-25 at home of WEG, the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

Spotlight on Demo Rider: Amy Hunter

Amy Hunter has been a horsewoman for almost 30 years, in which time she cultivated a versatile background of teaching, training, managing, breeding, and competing. While she specializes in hunter/jumpers, Amy has formally studied dressage, cross country jumping, racing, and natural horsemanship. She has taught riding at two Universities, through Pony Club, and at several private and commercial hunter/jumper facilities.
Amy has successfully trained and worked with a wide range of breeds and has also managed several private and commerical farms. Amy is particularly proud of her farrier ability and the technical shoeing of her owns horses while showing at the Grand Prix level.
Amy is currently managing her business, Huntington Training Farm LLC (www.huntingtonfarm.org) in Viroqua, Wisconsin, and works primarily from that location, but also shows on the East Coast circuit. Her goal is to consistently compete successfully at the Grand Prix level, to train and instruct a small group of clients, and to further the hunter/jumper sport in the US by continuing to breed, train, and promote the highest quality horses of sport.
Amy is currently leasing WEG demo horse, Cradilo, and will be performing Show Jumping demonstrations on him in conjunction with the Irish Village. Look for Amy and Cradilo on the Grand Prix circuit between now and then!

Spotlight on Demo Horse: Cradilo

Cradilo is a 17.1 hand, 1,500 pound plus, 16-year-old red chestnut Registered Irish Draught stallion, with plenty of chrome and a strong presence. He was sired by the great Kildalton Gold, out of the mare Brehan Lass. Cradilo was picked out of a field of horses in Ireland at the age of 2 and brought to the States. At age 4, he was taught to jump by his future rider and leasor, Amy Hunter of Huntington Farm in Viroqua, Wisconsin (www.huntingtonfarm.org). Amy was drawn back to Cradilo time and again after that first experience, to breed her horses to him or just spend time visiting with him. When presented the chance to lease him, she jumped on it.

Cradilo is the type of horse that every time he steps into the ring, the entire crowd silences. People don't know who or what he is or where he came from, but something about him demands respect. Yes, he's really big, and he gallops around the field like a war horse lunging into battle; and yes, he has a really cool tail! But, moreso, he powers off the ground in a way that regularly draws ooohhh's and aaahhh's from the crowd; because how can a horse that big get that much air time? It defies reason, yet, he does it, and unleashes incredible, raw strength and athleticism every time. There is more though. People see something in Cradilo they can't quite put their finger on. There is an animation that comes into full play when all eyes are on him, some depth of spirit, some élan vital that is coursing. But, the biggest miracle of this horse is that until a few years ago, he was retired early to stud with an official veternarian stamp of "Done with Competition." Amy Hunter took a chance on Cradilo. Her gut instinct said that he wasn't done competing yet and wanted a chance to show the world what he was capable of. Amy had no idea Cradilo would go Grand Prix, but so they did. And, Cradilo has continued breeding, producing some fantastic Irish Draught Sport Horse prospects by Thoroughbred mares.
Cradilo and Amy's biggest accomplisment to date was winning the Midstate Summer Grand Prix in Mason City, Iowa in June 2009. Continue to look for them on the Grand Prix circuit over the next year, and be sure to come watch them perform Show Jumping demonstrations as part of the Irish Village at WEG in 2010.