A U.S.-owned Irish hunter purchased off a video has made history at the Dublin Horse Show.
Dr. Brendan Furlong’s Bloomfield Watergate, the show’s Supreme Young Horse as a 3-year-old in 2022, was named Supreme Hunter Champion this month for what is believed to be the first time in 148 years that the same entry came back as a 4-year-old to win at the show, thus having both Dublin titles on his resume.
“It blew my mind away,” said Brendan, of the victory, then noted yet another distinction.
“The last time a 4-year-old won (Supreme) was 20 years ago.”
Watergate, bred in Ireland by Daphne Tierney and ridden by Jane Bradbury, topped the lightweight hunters before going on to be ridden by all the judges (that’s how they do it over there) and awarded the Supreme title.
“It’s the pinnacle of a show horse’s life. It doesn’t get any better,” said Brendan. The achievement by the horse nicknamed Percy was rewarded with a 10,000 Euro bonus.
The fairy tale began when a friend of Brendan’s sent him a video featuring the bay gelding, saying, “you might like this horse.”
He was right. Brendan, a native of Ireland, called his brother, who still lives in the country and asked him to contact the breeder.
“She’d never sell him,” Brendan’s brother declared. He was wrong.
Brendan called Daphne and she agreed to part with the horse on two conditions–“the price is the price” (ie, no bargaining) and that he could be entered at Dublin in her name. Brendan quickly agreed. The last time he had a horse at the Dublin show was when he was a veterinary student in Ireland and won a lightweight class with a three-year-old he bought as a foal, but that was a long time ago.
Percy is by a thoroughbred, Watermill Swatch, and is the first foal of Ballyconnery Bloomfield, a Holsteiner by Ars Vivendi. Now, about Percy’s registered name: Daphne also has Bloomfield Nixon, so knowing that makes more sense in connection with calling a horse Watergate.
Bloomfield Watergate and Jane Bradbury were spectacular winners at the Dublin Horse Show. (Photo by Siobhan English)
Percy is staying in Ireland for a few months of holiday and later this year will come to the U.S., where Brendan has a farm in Pittstown, N.J., with his wife, Dr. Wendy Leich, who may get a chance “to play with” the horse.
Percy’s future profession is uncertain at this point. Perhaps, to make the most of his ground-covering gallop, he’ll try eventing, but he may have the makings of a hunter derby mount. Of course, it will be some time before that can be determined. But whatever happens, Brendan has no intention of parting with him.
” This horse is so kind, he’s just a lovely fellow. This guy is so special to me right now, I’d probably keep him as a pet. It turned out to be the buy of a lifetime.”
