Tara Stud Put On The Market

Tara Stud has been put up for sale, according to the stud's Derek Iceton. The bloodstock operation will move to Skryne Castle Farm. Goffs and Raymond Potterton and Co. will handle the sale as joint agents.

“A number of factors have come together to make this decision” said Iceton. We are not going to stand stallions anymore and, though I am by no means going to retire, I do want to reduce the agricultural side of the business. We sell well over 1,000 cattle from here each year, up to 1,000 sheep, and 1,000 tonnes of grain from the arable side of the business, so the time has come to reduce this side of the business. There is no one here to succeed me, so we have all decided to sell the Tara farm. This still leaves us over 350 acres on which to facilitate our own mares and those of our clients. The land and facilities we have been developing considerably over the last few years, and we will continue selling stock as before, under the ”Skryne Castle” name.”

Tara Stud has been under the same ownership for almost 80 years, with Billy Iceton taking over for his father Tom, who arrived in 1945, with Derek joining in 1984. The overall farm is comprised of two blocks, with the Tara Stud side approximately 600 acres, and Skryne Castle the remaining 350+ acres.

Among the star past graduates are Grade I winner and current stallion roster member River Boyne (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and dual Group 1 winner A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}). The latter is out of a Key Of Luck mare, who stood for many years at the stud. Other alumni include the Grade 1-placed Balmont Mast (Ire) (Balmont) and G2 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Birthe (Ire) (Study Of Man {Ire}) among many other group winners born and raised on the property on behalf of clients.

Iceton added, “Not only has Tara got fine land on which to grow horses and cattle, it is in wonderful condition, with strongly built boxes and a continuous program of fencing undertaken and every facility you could want to run a stud farm, as well as modern facilities for the cattle. Its location is one of the properties strongest selling points, close to motorways, the M50, to Dublin City and its airport; Ferry Port, so I hope it will attract both local and foreign interest.”