Very few businesses escaped the impact of the recession. However, according to Melanie Wrynn, owner of Ardeo Sport Horses, talented horses always held their value.
Melanie and her husband Neil own and run Ardeo Sport Horses in Enniskerry village, Co Wicklow.
Their business sources, trains and sells sport horses for amateur and professional riders worldwide.
“Since last year, the market for sport horses has gone through the roof,” Wrynn says. “Between June and July last year, we cleared our yard down to three horses within a month.”
However, there is one problem the industry encountered during the recession which is still having an impact today.
“Many Irish breeders weren’t covering their mares to cut costs during the recession, so now foal numbers are way down,” Wrynn adds. “We have built a big customer base with great repeat business.
“Our customers want to buy horses but we are finding it difficult to source them in Ireland.”
The Wrynns have more than 20 years experience in the industry, competing themselves and then opening their own businesses.
"My business was Melanie Ashe Eventing and then Ardeo and Neil's was Neil Wrynn Sport Horses and then Kilgarron," she says. "When we got engaged I said, 'well if I'm taking your surname, you can take my business name'!"
So Ardeo Sport Horses became the name for the Wrynn family business.
One of the unique aspects to Ardeo Sport Horses is Wrynn’s other career. “I have a background in counselling,” she says, “ and I use my experience to really draw out the person who wants to buy a horse from us, be it a professional or amateur. I spend a lot of time making sure I matchmake correctly between the rider and their horse.”
Wrynn also asks her prospective buyers to video themselves riding. Once she has a clear idea of the rider and the horse they need, she tells her husband what type to look for and he finds the horses.
“We have had unbelievable feedback,” she adds. “The strength of the dollar and sterling against the euro has had a huge impact on the business so we are getting buyers from the UK, America and Europe.
“Because of the work we put in to matching our buyers with their horses, we have had an enormous success rate.
“So much so that buyers from the US now trust us enough to source their horses without them having to come to Ireland to try the horse. That’s the level of reputation and trust we have developed.”
The after-sales service Ardeo Sport Horses provides is another unique aspect of the business that comes from Wrynn’s counselling background.
“A lot of our customers, regardless of what their budget has been, come back to us with their horses for coaching. It gives me such a buzz to know I’ve got it right and that the rider and horse are doing well together.”
However, the fact that Neil Wrynn has had to source horses from breeders outside Ireland is a source of concern for the couple.
“For 19 of the last 21 years, the Irish Sport Horse Studbook has taken the top spot in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horse rankings,” she says. “So the fact that we have to go abroad to source horses is such a pity.
“We want to work with Irish breeders. However, we can’t match the riders and their horses quick enough.”
So what is it about the Irish eventing horse that makes it so special? Wrynn explains. “It’s the mind of the horse that makes the Irish eventing horse so good. They are brave horses and they keep their riders safe.”
Some of the successes the Ardeo Sport Horses have had include Ardeo Fun Size, who was found by the couple as a three- year-old in Monaghan. He is now being produced by Scottish-based event rider Stephanie O’Neil and has not been out of the placings all last season.
Ardeo Moon Dance is a six- year-old now being ridden by the well-known professional event rider Joe Myer who is based in America. Annaghmore Ardeo was brought by Wrynn to a two-star and has been sold to a rider in the UK.
Having just had a baby – 10-week-old Ruby – family time for the Wrynns is spent enjoying the feedback from customers.
“Our Sunday nights are spent going through texts and photos we’ve been sent over the weekend from our customers. Whether they are amateurs or professionals, they show us rosettes they’ve won at events and shows. It is hugely satisfying!”
