Breeding Coloured Performance Horses! Walt Disney is the coloured stallion of distinction. His pedigree is punctuated in colour and performance genes. Yet the focus is on quality, conformation, temperament and with the certainty of tobiano colouring. Finally the coloured colt has arrived to stud, who will capably follow in his sire’s fame. It would be difficult to find Walt Disney’s comparison in Ireland today.
An imposing young stallion now just five years old, his model and markings are truly spectacular. Blessed with a “designer” coat pattern and with a rarely seen pebbling of “ink markings” combine to make Walt Disney “the real deal” in Irish coloured stallions. He possesses all the desirable characteristics of the model Irish Sport horse. He has a noble head, well defined limbs and an evenly proportioned length of body. He has hardy hooves with a bright intelligence and a gentle character, he easily attaches to those he entrusts. Brimful of Irish confidence, Walt Disney always takes life in his stride.
Bred by Drumhowan Stud from one of our top mares, it was obvious after many breedings, that we had found “our pot of gold at the end of the rainbow”,the day Walt Disney was born. His tiny “ink” marks peeped through his brand new robe. Soon after, DNA tests confirmed him positive for the tobiano and black gene. Thus he can provide breeders with the certainty that all his progeny will be coloured with tobiano markings and no chestnut and white colouring. His colour genetics could not be any better than these! Bred with athleticism in mind, Walt Disney is an expressive powerful mover and demonstrated good jumping ability, under saddle. Importantly he demonstrates a willing work ethic. Walt Disney now embarks on an exciting stud career.
Walt Disney descends from a notable I.S.H. and coloured horse breeding pedigree. In it are some of Ireland’s best known sires. The popular and proven Cavalier Two For Joy, the legendary Cavalier and significantly the Grade A show-jumping Thoroughbred stallion Ard Allez Cat (xx) are all to be found. Walt Disney’s dam, grand dam and great grand dam were all piebald I.S.H. mares. He is a full brother to the successful eventing mare The Apache Cavalier, in the U.K. His blood-lines are a combination of the best of both eventing and show jumping genes, and all well known sires.
2011 sales still proved the robust market in Ireland for quality, performance, coloured horses. They were still amongst Ireland’s sale toppers. At the superbly managed and marketed “Go For Gold Sale”, two coloured horses were selected and sold for £20,000 and £17,500 for Shannondale Mojito by Keady Star, a former Drumhowan Stud resident stallion. Properly produced coloured horses are still hugely marketable.