Stallions in Focus – Carrabeg The Full Irish

Horse Sport Ireland is delighted to name Carrabeg The Full Irish (ISH)[TIH] as the Stallion of the Month for the Irish Sport Horse Studbook for February.

The traditionally bred 2019 grey stallion, a son of Ardcolum Duke (ISH)[TIH], is out of Carrabeg Flash (ISH)[TIH] by Flexible (ISH)[TIH] and is bred and owned by Susan Malee of Carrabeg Stud in Co. Mayo. He has been produced nationally from his four-year-old season in 2023 through to competing in the RDS Dublin Horse Show as a five-year-old in 2024, which also saw him represent the Irish Sport Horse Studbook as part of Taylor Vard’s team at the WBFSH Studbooks Global Jumping Champions Trophy for Young Horses in Valkenswaard, The Netherlands, where he jumped clear in both qualifiers. In 2025 he earned his Preliminary Approval with the Irish Sport Horse Studbook at the Stallion Selections in Cavan Equestrian Centre, and stepped up to 1.30m competition. He enters his seven-year-old season in 2026 with a consistent competitive record behind him.

His proud breeder, Susan Malee, had the following to say:

“At home, Carrabeg The Full Irish is known as Duke after his sire Ardcolum Duke. He’s out of a Flexible dam, Carrabeg Flash, and she’s out of a Clover Hill mare herself. Flash was broken, ridden, and jumped a little under saddle but displayed all the attributes I wanted to put her straight into my breeding program. The second dam, Bloomfield Lady (RID) is a full sister to Westfield Holly Hill (RID) who jumped up to the Grade A level herself, and competed internationally with Ronald Morton. The third dam, Westfield Lass (RID) by Flagmount Boy (RID) was also a Grade A jumping mare who produced several eventers and jumpers that competed at 1.40m level.” Telling us about Carrabeg The Full Irish’s early days, Susan says: “Duke was a very correct, athletic and sharp foal. My whole thought process behind breeding to Ardcolum Duke was to get a nice traditionally bred sport horse, and luckily I got a colt that I could keep as a stallion. His presence and personality and correctness meant it was a no-brainer for me to keep him entire. We put him forward as a three-year-old for stallion inspection where he passed his Stage 1 assessment. We then competed him lightly as a four-year-old.”

Carrabeg The Full Irish began his competitive career in 2023 under Shane Quinn. As a four-year-old he contested the 4-Year-Old Championship at Mullingar CSI** as well as jumping double clear in the RDS Qualifier in the Meadows Equestrian Centre, and later that year he contested the Cavan 4-Year-Old Final at their November show with Katharina Wildling in the saddle.

Susan continues: “As a five-year-old his jumping ability came through when he was selected to jump in Valkenswaard at the Global Champions Young Horse show where he completed two super double clears in the qualifiers.”

With Katharina Wildling in 2024 as a five-year-old, Carrabeg The Full Irish stepped up to 1.10m and 1.20m level across the national circuit. His season included appearances at the RDS Dublin Horse Show Five-Year-Old Championship and at the Cavan Indoor Championships Five-Year-Old Final.

Throughout the summer his consistent performance at 1.20m level earned him his call up to international competition at the aforementioned CSIYH1* WBFSH Studbooks Global Jumping

Champions Trophy for Young Horses in Valkenswaard, The Netherlands, where he was the only traditionally bred Irish Sport Horse featuring as part of Taylor Vard’s squad.

As a six-year-old in 2025, Carrabeg The Full Irish successfully completed his Stage 2 assessment at the Horse Sport Ireland Stallion Selections in Cavan Equestrian Centre, where he was awarded Preliminary Approved status. He then continued his sporting career under the tutelage of Co. Mayo’s Shane Quinn. Their campaign saw them compete in the DAFM Studbook Series in Galway Equestrian Centre, the Mullingar CSI** 6-Year-Old Young Horse 1.30m Masters and the Spillers 6 & 7 Year Old Championship at Balmoral CSI**.

Susan concludes: “His success has a lot to do with his riders and the team at home. So far, we are delighted with the young stock by Duke and look forward to the coming year when he steps up to 7-year-old classes and getting more of his young stock on the ground.”

Across his career to date, Carrabeg The Full Irish has accumulated 90 SJI points. From those first 90cm classes in Ard Chuain Equestrian Centre, through to 1.30m competition as a six-year-old, his consistency reflects the benefits of Ireland’s Young Horse Pathway incorporating the DAFM Development Series and DAFM Studbook Series.

Now seven years old in 2026, Carrabeg The Full Irish enters the next stage of his competitive career and Horse Sport Ireland looks forward to following the continued progress of this young traditionally bred Preliminary Approved stallion as he advances through the seven-year-old ranks and beyond.

The post Stallions in Focus – Carrabeg The Full Irish appeared first on .