National Geographic: Ballad of the Irish Horse (1985)

[bunniefuu]

In Ireland, horses are

an indelible part of the landscape...

of history and memory,

of a past and present

where the ancient magic

of the horse

still weaves its spell.

Their presence is pervasive,

as if horses help to define

what the Irish people are.

Horses are the Irishman's sport...

Ireland is the birthplace

of steeplechasing.

Horses are Ireland's tradition.

Showjumping originated

on this green land.

Horses are Ireland's business.

This is the Irish National Stud.

Horses are Ireland's pleasure.

Here people still ride across

fields and farms to the hounds...

and thousands of families

keep horses for recreation.

This romance of the Irish

and their horses

was born of the land,

nurtured by necessity,

and fostered by ancient bonds.

It is one of the oldest

love stories on earth:

The Ballad of the Irish Horse.

Ireland

Ireland of myth and mystery,

of wild shores and soft rains,

lush pastures and rich soil,

where the past still lives.

Even today, Ireland remains,

as it has been

for thousand of years,

largely agricultural.

Here, the story of man and horse

stretches over the centuries...

A saga woven of threads

of tradition and history,

custom and religion,

that binds them

inseparably in the fiber

of Irish life.

While the rest of Europe

was transformed

by the Industrial Revolution,

Ireland remained essentially

untouched and unchanged.

Until only 40 year ago,

most families in Ireland

needed a horse

to plow the fields

through the week.

On market days,

the farmer hitched the horse

to a wagon to haul his produce.

On Sundays, horse and wagon

took the family to church.

In remote areas of the west,

the old Irish ways

and language survive.

And the people of

Ireland keep horses

in their lives

and on their landscapes.

Here, people still go ton fairs

at villages

and country crossroads

to buy and sell horses

as they have for centuries.

In Napoleonic times,

quartermasters from European armies

came here to buy

the famed Irish horses

for their elite cavalry regiments.

Today at the Great October Fair

in Ballinasloe,

the flavor of a lost age lingers.

If she's there for 50 pounds,

she's there.

The trading is still punctuated

by the slapping of hands

a middleman still brings buyer

and seller together.

And a bit of earth

on the horse's hindquarters

still shows that a bargain

has been struck.

Like his father and grandfather,

John Daly is a horse breeder.

He came to this fair

with his father.

Now he brings his son, Alan,

knowing the boy

will follow in his footsteps.

And today he has come to buy

Alan a pony.

We'll go and see

something else anyway.

Stand back a minute there, lads.

What do you carry on

the book down there?

Fourteen two.

The man says seven.

I'll give you eight.

Give him 1,000 pounds.

Give him to him for 1,000 pounds

and that's the price.

And after that, say no more.

I'll give you 800.

Well, I look at it this way.

Your lad will be

getting a good pony,

and he's a good rider.

And I like to see him

getting the pony

If you tell me

you'll take it for them

I'll divide it

the last 200 pounds.

That's 900, right?

Give him 1,000 pounds.

Go on, give him 1,000.

I tell you what I'll do.

I'll go away and leave you

for an hour to think about it.

And you might get a better lad.

I'm here to sell him.

That'll be 1,000 pounds,

the both of yours.

You're fiddling around there

like a fiddler.

That will be 1,000 quid

and get the money.

Give him a check then

for 1,000 pounds.

Will you break the board?

Go on. Give him to him now. Sold.

Hold out, hold out.

One, two, three, four...

God bless you.

After a few pounds are given

to the seller for luck,

Alan leaves the fair

with a Connemara pony...

symbol of his future

and his heritage.

Some 9,000 years ago,

man made his way here,

crossing a land bridge that

once linked Scotland and Ireland.

Horses arrived about 2,000 B.C.,

brought by Neolithic people

who introduced their farming

culture to this fertile land.

The island's placid existence

exploded around 500 B.C.,

as a wave of

Celtic warriors invaded

their battle chariots drawn

by hot blooded horses.

When the bloody days of plunder

and m*rder subsided,

the invaders became settlers,

and their Celtic legacy imprinted

its indelible stamp

on the soul and style of Ireland.

The blood of their fiery mounts

mixed with that of

the indigenous ponies,

producing a better, faster horse.

Over the centuries, successive

tides of conquering peoples

and ideas were

to sweep across Ireland

in her poignant

and tumultuous history.

There were Vikings,

Normans, and Englishmen.

There were St. Patrick

and Christianity.

All would create permanent changes

on the face of the land

and in the hearts of

the Irish people.

But certain things

would never change.

For thousands of years

and hundreds of generations,

man and horse continued

to share the soil of Ireland.

Today, in the west,

Connemara ponies

still run free

over the wild countryside.

Here at Lough Mask in County Mayo,

John Daly has kept

two stallions isolated

on an island through the winter.

The island is a short trip

by boat

from the lakeshore

and Daly's stud farm

Connemara ponies are, in fact,

small horses,

muscular and strong boned

Perfectly adapted to

the rugged western landscape,

they retain the iron constitutions

of wild horses

the ability to forage,

the strength

to survive on their own

in an untamed wilderness.

But now, in spring,

it is time to reunite

the gray stallion with the mares.

Come on, boy.

Easy, boys...

Easy, good fella.

With a gentleness

and expertise attained

from a lifetime

shared with horses,

John quickly gains

the stallion's confidence.

There is evidence

that spirited spanish horses,

some imported,

some shipwrecked off the coast,

mixed with the native ponies

to create this hardy breed.

Once used as both pack

and plow animals

in a rough

and roadless countryside,

today the intelligent,

docile Connemara ponies

are bred for riding.

Daly will release the stallion

with the herd,

allowing him to mate with any

of the mares that are in season.

Mares come into season

only nine days after foaling...

but are quick to

let a stallion know

if his advances are unwelcome.

Her posture and stillness indicate

this mare's receptiveness.

So the blood of

native Irish horses,

strengthened by the demands

of wild coast,

tempered by centuries of work

with the Irish people,

is passed into the future.

And if all goes well,

in 11 months

there will be a new foal

in the daily herd.

At Tulira Castle in County Galway,

Lady Anne Hemphill began breeding

Connemara ponies

some 25 years ago.

An avid rider

from the age of three,

Lady Hemphill wanted her children

to share her lifelong enthusiasm.

Her husband encouraged her

to organize classes

in horsemanship

for the local children.

Two decades later,

she is still teaching

the County Galway

Hunt Branch of Pony Club.

"Now if the pony's at grass,

what should he have in the fields?"

Water.

Yes, fine.

What's another reason, David?

Shade.

Shade is most important, isn't it?

Are you looking at his teeth?

Yes.

If he has a full set of teeth,

he's over seven years.

Well done. Good Girl.

There are pony Club branches

all over Ireland

providing an opportunity

for both country and city children

to learn not only riding,

but sportsmanship

and proper care of the animals.

I think it's a very good

foundation for them

because it's getting away

from this usual thing of

being in the cinemas,

the discos, and what have you.

Can you manage, Mark?

No, no... it's a long way up.

I don't know if you'll be

able to hold him, will you?

Keep away, keep away from that.

Go out here

in the middle of the field

so that other people can

get through and get mounted.

Now, come on.

I'll give you a leg.

Ups-a-daisy. Hold on. Good boy.

I find it very rewarding,

and it's more rewarding in that

when some of the children

that were

members of this branch

when I first started.

They're doctors,

or they're solicitors,

or they're business people now.

And they're coming back,

and they've got children.

I call all their children

my grandchildren.

I haven't got any of

my own grandchildren,

but I got a lot of grandchildren.

Use your legs. Take him on.

Now, take it easy.

Just come back, g*y,

and take it easy.

Use your legs. Good boy.

Now don't go so far back.

Now just trot into it.

Good boy. Well done.

Good man. Woops!

All right? You're fine. Next.

Shorten up your reins.

You haven't got much contact,

have you?

Come into it trotting.

For a small branch we've produced

the winning Pony Club

championship teams.

We've gone to England three time.

It is quite something.

I don't want any racing,

and I don't want anybody

going into hospital.

So for goodness sake

just take your ponies down.

You will trot down

across the field to the river.

I'll show you which way to go.

I love seeing these children

with their happy little faces.

But it just gives me

the greatest pleasure.

So a keen horsewoman

passes on the joy of riding,

and the children of yet

another generation forge new links

with their ancient Irish heritage

of horsemanship.

Racing horses was

the Celts' favorite sport.

This plain still bears

the name Curragh,

derived from

their ancient word meaning

"a place

where horse racing is held."

Keep her going now on

to the next one.

Living at the edge of the Curragh,

the Hutchinson family retains

the Celtic passion

for horse racing.

In the paddock behind their home,

Caroline, age 15,

is coached by her father, Pat.

He was an amateur jockey.

She dreams of

becoming a professional.

Whoa, lass. Whoa, lass.

That's all right.

Pony races are held

throughout Ireland

Though the jockeys are

young boys and girls,

the betting is serious business,

with part of the proceeds

going to charity.

Six to four on...

My father always had

about a hundred horses.

And he was one of the

biggest dealers in the country.

Had a couple of

thousand acres of land

and I used to ride

all our own horses.

And now, thank God,

the kids are following on.

Caroline is one of four

Hutchinson daughters

participating in

this competitive world

Mrs. Hutchinson is active too,

for the pony races are

a family affair

much like Little League Baseball.

Some of Ireland's leading jockeys

began their careers

in the pony races.

Sure, Caroline is very good.

She's courageous, she has ability,

she likes the game,

and she loves horses.

And I don't think she'll ever,

no matter what I say

or anybody else says,

she won't do anything else.

She rides to win,

and I think that's the secret.

I'd live to be a professional

jockey when I get older.

The biggest challenge for me

anyway is that I'm girl.

I don't think race riding

is wonderful for little girls.

But they do like it. They love it.

They live for it.

They don't want to

go to the disco.

They want their pony.

They want to be a sport.

You're always thinking of

where you are

and thinking ahead of

the next bend

whether it's sharp

or how to ride the next bend.

And especially if you're on a pony

that's slow earlier on

and comes on fast at the end.

Because of her consistent winning,

Caroline is sought to

race other people's ponies

as well as her father's.

When you're in front

and when you have won,

the owners come running up to you

and say, "Well done" and all that.

It's just great to see

their happy face

from winning on their pony.

And then your friends come up

and say, "Well done".

It's just a great feeling.

I'm delighted

that I won the last race.

That was a female race.

And I'm just thrilled

that I won it

and that I had a good pony.

Winning against

both girls and boys,

Caroline raced

closer to her dream

when she became

champion pony racing jockey

for an unprecedented

fourth consecutive year.

In 1752, with the steeples

as starting and finishing points,

a Mr. O'Callaghan

raced a Mr. Blake

from the church at Buttevant,

jumping walls and fences,

across farms and fields,

to the church at Doneraile...

thus running the first recorded

steeplechase.

Today, some of Ireland's

most popular steeple chases

take place at the Galway Races.

Thousands gather daily to bet

on the horses

in this week of festivities

held at the same time of year

that the ancient Celts assembled

to honor their god of horseracing.

The National Stud was established

to foster

the Irish thoroughbred industry

by providing breeders with

good stallions at reasonable fees.

The record of

thoroughbred breeding dates

from the publication in 1793 of

the first English Stud Book

which listed three Arab stallions

and the Royal Mares.

Every thoroughbred on earth

is descended from them.

A sire is selected by the breeder

on the basis of bloodlines,

tracked back through

the stud book,

his conformation or appearance,

and the number of races

he has won.

Six-year-old Raja Bab horse.

He's a tremendous individual.

A great mover, tremendous quality.

His first crop are now foals.

He won four group races,

including the Corkanorry Stakes

at Royal Ascot

in course record time.

Dr. Maire O'Connor

is deputy manager

and resident veterinarian

at the stud.

We're just starting to

build her back up again...

for a couple of days.

Yeah, yeah.

She's walking very well now.

Ireland is well known

as the European nursery.

We have the climate and the soil

for rearing horses.

There's a tremendous closeness

and a tremendous understanding

of the horse in the Irish people.

Among her responsibilities

is determining

when the mares

are ready for covering.

Every step of the procedure

must be carefully monitored

in the breeding of these delicate

and valuable animals.

Eighteen days after the covering,

a sonogram is made by a visiting

veterinarian and Dr. O'Connor.

With this sophisticated device

they can see

inside the mare's uterus

and determine

if there is a live fetus

You can see it there...

at about 10 o'clock.

Heart beating.

The heart's beating.

Within the white spot,

the pulsing heart

of the tiny fetus

is clearly visible.

The mare's gestation period

is 11 months;

the birth usually takes

less than an hour.

A member of the staff

acts as midwife.

For Maire O'Connor and the staff,

the hundreds of births

they have witnessed in the past

do not diminish

the wonder of this moment.

Within the hour

the age-old instinct

to stand and run with the herd

is already stirring in the foal,

and the fragile new life

is given human help.

These spindly legs,

now trembling and weak,

have centuries of

speed bred in them.

When they are three days old,

healthy foals

are ready to go outside.

Each is examined daily.

Those with special problems

get special attention.

Up you come.

There's a baby, there's a baby.

That's good. Okay.

Come on.

There's tremendous limestone

in Ireland

and you get a tremendous

amount of minerals

coming through the grass

to the horses.

So you get very good

bone development.

And, of course,

race horses need their legs.

So you want good bone

in a race horse.

Born to race, these foals carry

within them the urge to run.

Among these new lives

there are future champions,

bred at the Irish National Stud

to thunder home to victory

on the race tracks of the world.

Here at Goffs,

the finest thoroughbreds

are offered at auction.

A yearling, still totally

untried as a racehorse,

may bring close to

a million dollars.

At 260... any more now,

about $300,000 at 260,

at 260 one more time.

At 260 that's what I sell her

for this time...

Millions are spent

as buyers stake their money

on the animal's pedigree

and conformation.

Vincent O'Brien is the greatest

racehorse trainer in the world

a magician who transforms

horseflesh into gold.

An international group

of investors depends on

his uncanny eye

to select potential champions.

His reputation began to soar

in the '50s

with three consecutive wins

at the world's

most difficult steeple chase:

England's Grand National.

There is stubborn refusal here

by Glen Fire.

And now for a most

unhappy landing.

Those were the leaders

at the 27th jump,

but alas, this fence accounted

for the gallant Sun Dew

and Martuvu.

No, there was not to be

a royal victory this year.

At the last fence,

Tudor Line jumped wide

but Quare Times made no mistake

and galloped away in great style.

Neither Tudor Line

nor Kerry's Cottage

who will finish third,

could possibly catch him now.

It was Quare Times'

Grand National all right.

And it was the third

successive National win

for trainer Vincent O'Brien.

These Irish!

Triumphant in the classic races

of steeplechasing,

O'Brien next turned his wizardry

to flat racing.

Son of a farmer,

fifth of eight children,

he started his remarkable career

with a rented stable

and three horses.

I must have had a natural liking

for horses right from the start,

and that developed

then over the years.

Eventually I started training.

I don't think I would

be happy doing anything else.

Today his empire spreads

over nearly 1,000 acres.

Ballydoyle is the world's finest

private training facility,

with magnificent barns,

covered rides,

gallops each 14 furlongs

in length,

a 19th century Georgian home,

a helicopter pad,

and stables of thoroughbreds

worth millions of dollars

all under tight security.

O'Brien retains a percentage

of every horse he trains.

Among this season's crop

of aristocrats

are seven sons of Nijinsky

three of Alleged,

and nine of Northern Dancer.

O'Brien's extraordinary powers

seem to spring

from an almost magical ability

to sense what each animal ends

to develop and succeed.

It is very important to make

a study of each individual animal

because they're like people

they all differ.

Some horses have got a very easy,

calm disposition,

and they have no mental problems.

But others have, and they

give them special attention.

They're specially trained,

so as to try

and keep them settled

and at ease in themselves.

O'Brien's success

as a trainer is legendary:

His race winnings alone have been

as high as a million dollars

in a single year.

But it is

after a hose's last race is won

that its big moneymaking

career may begin.

Today O'Brien focuses

on training colts.

After a few major wins

of top class races,

the best are retired to stand at stud.

Sold to groups of investors for

more than 25 million dollars each,

these stallions earn huge fees

in their years as sires.

So, the mystique of a man

and his thoroughbreds

becomes big business

an important component of

modern Ireland's economy.

In the 18th century,

Irish farmers

began to breed tough, powerful,

work animals able to

pull both plow and cart.

Today, the blood of the robust

Irish Draft horse

mingles with that of the fiery

thoroughbred to produce horses

with the stamina needed

for jumping and hunting.

The hunt,

as a gentlemanly pursuit,

attained its present form

and popularity

in 18th century England

and was brought here

when Ireland

was under English rule.

Michael Dempsey

is master of hounds

of the world famous

Galway Blazers Hunt Club.

Tempo, get in.

Tempo, come in. Get in.

My grandfather was interested in,

my father was interested

in horses, and my uncle.

They used to both hunt.

At that time, you see,

we used to do

all the work with horses

on the farm.

There were no tractors.

Once the exclusive province

of the aristocracy,

today the hunt's

traditional style is enjoyed

by thousands of ardent

Irish riding enthusiasts.

Dempsey, a local boy,

grew up dreaming

of becoming master of hounds.

But I think I was about either

"One day I will hunt

those Blazer hounds".

That was my ambition.

Yes, all my life was

to hunt those hounds.

A farmer of modest means,

Dempsey is paid

by the members' subscriptions

to hunt the pack.

Oh, I love those hounds,

and I know

all of them individually.

And they're all of a character

and they all are different.

I see them every day

to get very close with them.

You have to be very close

to your hounds

before they'll work with you.

Farmers have long considered

foxes to be vermin.

Hounds were bred

to scent the wild foxes

that his in fields and farms.

Hunters "riding to hounds"

followed on horseback,

and so, this sport evolved.

When you get out there

and your pack of hounds

are going together

and you hear their voice,

that is the greatest feeling

I know.

And a good horse beneath you.

To be able to gallop right

across the country behind them,

and they're really running on

and speaking.

I think it's the best thrill

that anybody could ever get.

I don't know what it does to you

the voice of those hounds

it just gets your blood really up.

The first fox of the day

is scented and pursued.

Often they lose the fox.

Sometimes, they lost their seat

and occasionally

they lose their way.

Are you hurt? Off you go.

Well, where do I go?

Go on, go on across there.

Go on and get on to it.

When the last fox

outruns the hounds

and the hour grows late,

Dempsey calls a halt

to the day's hunting.

Home now.

We go for the beer now

at Raftery's.

The hunters head for

a traditional last stop:

a pub called "The Blazers".

The Galway Blazers have

a reputation for recklessness.

It is said that a group

of hunters from Galway

once reveled so boisterously

in a certain hotel

that is burst into flames

thus giving the group its name.

Tonight, this pub is ablaze

with traditional Irish pleasures:

the pints,

the laughs, and the songs.

Every year

the town of mill street

hosts international show

jumping competitions.

Show jumping began

in Ireland a century ago.

Contests to see how high and wide

the horses could

jump over fences and walls,

they offered prizes to those

judged most suitable for hunting.

This competition is called

"Carroll's Boomerang Finder".

It was named

in honor of Boomerang,

the horse that this man,

Eddie Macken,

rode to fame and fortune

in the world of

international show jumping

the horse that made him

a national hero.

Macken's great successes with

Boomerang began in the mid 70s.

Soon horse and rider were labeled

"the most exciting partnership

show jumping has ever seen".

The Hickstead Derby,

English, 1977.

Winner in 1976,

now can he beat this time?

He'll have to do

fantastic turns to do it,

and there are few riders

more likely to do it

than Eddie Macken.

Come on, Boomerang...

Yes 27.3!

Boomerang was everything I am.

I just was very fortunate

to meet him

at the right stage in life.

He was probably fortunate

to meet me.

We came together and developed

a great partnership;

and he put me right at the top

of the world of show jumping

in a very short period of time.

All eyes are on the brilliant

Irishman Eddie Macken.

He just pauses.

He's in plenty of time.

He's absolutely right for it.

Go on, Eddie!

What a magnificent performance

by Eddie Macken.

Incredible to think

that he's now won

his fourth British jumping derby

in a row.

This trophy was commissioned

after Boomerang

had won his fourth consecutive

Hickstead Derby.

The Hickstead Derby is probably

one of the most

difficult competitions

in world showjumping to win.

For a horse to win it once

is an achievement,

be he actually won it four times.

In 1980 Boomerang broke a bone

in his foot

and Macken retired him.

But Hickstead brought them back

for an emotional farewell tribute.

It was a sad moment for Eddie

as they left the show grounds

for the last time.

Three years later,

Boomerang's condition

became so painful

he had to be put down.

He is buried on Macken's farm.

I never knew a horse that could

mean as much as Boomerang.

And the possibilities of

ever finding one

with as much talent

are very, very slim indeed.

The loss of Boomerang

still haunts Macken's life.

With his wife, Susanne,

he searches for a horse

with the unique talent and

temperament to replace Boomerang.

Okay?

All right.

All right.

Buying, feeding, training,

and caring for a stable of horses

is an expensive

and time-consuming responsibility.

But the Macken animals

get the best...

Including, for some,

a bit of Guinness Stout

three times a week

on the theory that

what Irish doctors prescribe

for old people and pregnant women

must be good for horses.

Youngest of five children,

Macken is the son

of a small-town butcher.

Is he ready to go?

Yeah. He's fine.

Yeah. You want to leave him

for me in the morning.

I'll ride him.

A superb, natural rider,

he has grown to be a trainer

with a special feel

and touch for a horse.

This animal seems to

have a muscular problem.

Macken examines him to see

if a veterinarian is required.

He's starting to

get a bit of a thing

about this now

that I'm fiddling around.

Yeah. He's just anticipating it.

Very tight there.

Will, Robin's coming this

afternoon again anyway, isn't he?

He is, eh?

Can you not work that other hand

on top of his hip

and save yourself?

There's definitely something

catching him there.

Yeah. It's just

a really worrying thing

for the horse anyway to have

somebody contracting

his muscles without...

Eddie himself has acknowledged

that a horse like Boomerang

comes along only once

in a lifetime.

But together, he and Susanne

continue their quest,

hoping to find to create his

next great show jumping partner,

and soften the loss of Boomerang,

a gallant champion

and noble friend.

You remember that chestnut foal

we bought at John V. Donna?

Oh, do you remember, yeah?

All over Ireland,

boys who would like to grow up

to be the next Eddie Macken

are practicing and competing

with the intense hope

and fervor of youth.

For them, young riders

like Philip and Trevor Dagg,

success demands more

than practice

it requires financial

and emotional support

from the entire family.

As they often do, their parents

devote the weekend

to the boy's competition.

The weather's going to

break now, too.

How many more do you...?

Ten more, ten more,

and he goes again.

Philip was once junior champion

in pony show jumping.

Now he trains

his 13 year old brother, Trevor,

who began competing

just last year.

You come down into it.

You're just going down the hill.

And the horse just tends to

go a little bit deeper

because you're coming

down the hill.

So you just want to sit him up

so he can...

Compensate for the downhill.

You're going too slow

and you're half asleep.

Now come on, waken up. Come on.

Philip has already committed

himself to a career with horses,

and coaches other

young competitors

as well as Trevor.

Just give him a little kick.

Come on.

That's good.

We'll just go up above

and give him a puff,

and then we'll go in.

Now let's have two awake people

to jump clear rounds.

All right.

You're going to win, okay?

You're going to win.

You're going to win, okay?

You're going to win.

And we will trot, trot.

Oh, crikey!

We're going to win today,

aren't we?

Yes, we are.

We're going to win.

Good boy.

Let's go see Philip. Okay?

Good lad.

Every competition

is an opportunity

to grow in skill and experience.

But in Ireland,

all competitions are prelude

to the most exciting challenge

of the year:

the Dublin Horse show.

Ireland's greatest horse show,

it has been attracting champions

for more than a century.

All of the riders

have qualified to participate

by winning at a number of

competitions throughout the year.

Held at the Royal Dublin

Society show grounds,

the Dublin Horse Show

has long been

considered the nation's

premiere social event.

Enthusiasts from farms,

villages and cities

across the country

join international visitors

as 1,000 horses

and riders and teams

from five nations stage five days

of fierce competitions

and showmanship.

Michael Dempsey is here

to demonstrate

the obedience of

the Galway Blazer hounds...

And Trevor Dagg

has an opportunity to compete

in the same arena

used by the international teams.

And you'll be all right. Okay?

Don't worry about it.

It'll go all right

when you get out there. okay?

Okay, give him a pop.

And this is

George Dagg's Beau Brummel.

To win the championship,

Trevor must clear

all the obstacles

and jump the course

in the shortest time.

Oh, no.

Good man. Well done.

Oh, no. it's gone.

A caring brother

had hoped for first place.

But for Trevor,

this yellow ribbon

may be a harbinger of

future successes

It was here

that the world's first show

jumping competitions were held.

This year Eddie Macken

is one of four riders

to set a new Irish jumping record.

In this great yearly celebration

of horses and horsemanship,

the ancient spirit of

the Irish people

is aroused a new,

to stir and soar.

Within each individual, the warmth

of the age old connection

with the animal

that has helped shape

his nation's history is rekindled.

I think we have produced

a lot of really

world class horses

on the international scene.

And we've become famous

obviously from that.

But I think the greatest asset

the Irish horse has is

that as a pleasure horse

and for the amateur,

he seems to be more clever,

more easy to deal with,

to handle, to ride.

And he seems to give

a longer period of enjoyment

than the Continental horses do.

Myself and my family,

if we have no breakfast,

today, tomorrow,

some other day in the future,

we'll still look after the horse.

We would give the horse

our breakfast.

We were with horses

for generations,

and Irish people,

whatever, they're Irish.

They'll talk about horses,

they'll have horses,

they'll keep horses.

They'll never get rid of them.

A tremendous appreciation

of the horse

runs through the Irish people.

Ireland is an island.

We are an island people,

and as a result,

the traits that were

in our forefathers

are still present today

after many generations.

In the quite of the countryside

a new Connemara pony

enters the world.

Only minutes old,

still weak and wobbly,

he is born with the ability

to stand alone,

to survive in the lean land

of the west.

Within himself

he carries the strength

of thousands of years

on Irish soil.

The saga of the Irish horse

continues in the 20th century

because to the people of Ireland,

horses represent a link

with old ways, old values.

A traditional past

they want to preserve.

So the children of Ireland

grow up with these animals,

each generation

adding new chapters of challenge

and hope, triumph and love,

to the timeless story

that is the ballad of

the Irish horse.

Thank for your watching.