Welcome

For more than 20 years, the last 18 at Ringfort Stud, John Eakin and Diane Harron Eakin have been breeding performance horses for the Sport Horse industry. They developed a well-defined breeding policy - crossing the best of Irish bloodlines with those European lines that had proved themselves in competition on the world stage.

To that end, the first three mares they bought were a daughter, a granddaughter and a great granddaughter of the great Dutch "Stallion of the Century" Nimmerdor.

The foundation mare of the stud, Renkum Woudina, died in 2002 at the age of 23 and Renkum Hollanta and Renkum Inglewood (pictured right) were retired from breeding in 2010. But Renkum Woudina's legacy at the stud lives on in her stallion son Ringfort Cruise by Cruising, and in her grand-daughter Ringfort String of Pearls by Larino.

With a small band of broodmares and carefully selected stallions, Ringfort Stud has bred and produced Dublin Champions, Black Type race horses, and highly successful performance horses in dressage, eventing and show jumping. Only horses bred at the stud are allowed to carry the Ringfort Prefix (sadly a few good ones bred at the stud are competing under other prefixes - such as Ronan Tynan's showjumping stallion, Warrenstown U2) and the Ringfort name has become a by-word for talented young horses who can expect to go all the way in their chosen discipline.

Some of the foals they have kept ownership of and put in training in order to enjoy travelling throughout Ireland, and further afield, to support their young stock. Other young stock they have sold world-wide to international professional and amateur riders in all disciplines.

Horses such as home-bred stallion Ringfort Tinkatoo, by World Champion stallion Tinka's Boy, winner of the Eventing Ireland Northern Region Owner/Breeder trophy, and winner of the Novice Championship and the Novice Final. He was already winning at Intermediate level, when he was exported to the United States. His daughter, Tinkabella, followed soon after. Two other eventers left here for the US last year, including Ringfort Fighting Chance to Olympic rider Kim Severson.

Ringfort Rara Ruby by Porsch, reached 3* level at eventing before being injured just as she was going through an assessment for the Irish Army Eventing Team. She returned to the farm here to breed and is the dam of two young horses, Ringfort Rubicon by embryo transfer, and Ringfort Rua, both rising four this year. She was covered in 2011 by Ringfort Cruise, the only fully Approved Nations Cup son of Cruising standing at stud in Ireland. Expected date of foaling March 16th 2012.

Other young stock bred at the Ringfort Stud, but sold on and competing at Nations Cup and Grand Prix level include top showjumping stallion Warrenstown U2, owned now by Internationally renowned Irish tenor Ronan Tynan. (One of our home-breds whose Ringfort Prefix got away!) His own young stock are now winning at high level.

With such an emphasis being placed on the importance of thoroughbred blood in eventing horses, don't just think about breeding a showjumper with Ringfort Cruise. On a three-quarter or full thoroughbred mare, he will give the jump, the step for the dressage phase and the temperament and courage for the cross-country, to breed a potential 4 star eventer!

As is the case with most other horse owners, breeders, and producers, we have have spent the last six weeks ferrying water to the frozen troughs, and forage to the ring-feeders, slipping and sliding on hard icy ground and generally wondering why we didn't decide to take up embroidery at an early age instead of horses.

Add to the climactic woes, the economic woes, and it is obvious that only the most passionate, desperate - and foolhardy - are going to survive 2010/2011 with any sanity intact. And now I hear that we are to get temperatures of -20 degrees in February.

Don't panic! Just a bronze sculpture, not my best mare! See NEWS for a general update.