One of the things I have been asked about most recently has been the fabulous Emerald Dressage Stallion Pompidou AF (Desperado x Florencio I). I was lucky enough to become involved with this horse through my husband Ross. I am a huge dressage fan and his sire is one of my favourites. I loved in recent years seeing stallions like Desperado and Blue Hors Zack reappearing successfully at world cup international level as teenagers and demonstrating longevity, something that is very genetically appealing to me – these stallions are still literally on top of their game!
Where did Emerald Dressage come from? While most of us had a lockdown project, generally, it wasn’t creating a dressage stud. In fact for most of us our reinvention went as far as experimenting badly with home hair dye and a shoddy attempt at banana bread. (Were you even in a lockdown if you didn’t try to make banana bread?)
If you ask Tracy Lynch why she chose to do what she did, she will modestly tell you that she just wanted to ‘do something different’. It was in this simple concept that Emerald Dressage was born. Doing “something different” recently resulted in Pompidou AF being approved as the first WSI dressage stallion in Ireland. There’s probably a lesson there for all of us. Next time you feel like doing something different, assuming it’s legal, maybe you should go for it.
Pompidou is a horse who knows who he is. I’ve worked with many horses in my time and there are few that have his charisma. Pompidou spent many months with us at Dunbyrne Stud in 2023 to prepare him for his WSI Inspections. My husband Ross was training him and riding him. I was one of his handlers and his groom and when people ask me about him, I always liken him to the equine version of Enrique Englasias. I am probably showing my age here, but do you remember the video for ‘Hero’ about 20 years ago? If that wasn’t an aphrodisiac, I don’t know what was. Pompidou is charming – we know it and he knows it.
As for WSI approval, why does it matter? Well first up, it means all of us involved now know he looks as good inside as he does outside. The first phase of the inspection is not too daunting and involves a trot up, loose schooling and basic vet check. The second phase of the approval involves full vet checks so from his elbow to his eyelash this horse has been examined. The third phase is another level.
Making it to the third phase of the inspection was rather like making it to the judges houses phase in the X Factor. The stallions lived off site for three days and in the case of Pompidou his performance test over the three-day period involved presentation and trot up, riding two dressage tests and jumping a small track of fences. Everything we did was observed and assessed. From Pompidou’s behaviour in the stable to his manners while being handled – everything was under the microscope. I am still likening the week to re doing my leaving cert as you hope the work you put in was enough and you don’t get results until the end. I wouldn’t mind, I had the easy job of grooming – it’s not exactly hard to make him look good. Ross had to actually ride! One of our team members was Ross’ right-hand man for the week which was great as I’m useless at leg up’s and avoided any domestics.
It was actually my birthday on the second day and I had the most wonderful evening! Pompidou’s breeder Addie had travelled over for the inspections as had photographer and breeder Sabine Smit (foalforsale.com) . We enjoyed a wonderful dinner where I drank wine and talked horses all evening – what more could you want!
By day three waiting on results I was sweating like a love island contestant in too much foundation. When Tracy received news that Pompidou had passed we broke out the faux prosecco for a toast and to be honest alcohol or not the bubbles fairly went to my head. I slept like the dead after, happy in the knowledge that the Dutch assessors saw what we saw. It honestly would feel criminal for this horse not to be kept entire – he genuinely has the essence of a stallion.
So what next for Emerald Dressage? This remains to be revealed but, in the background, Tracy has been busy making plans and expanding her herd. For someone who will happily tell you that she doesn’t come from horses, she has acquired so much knowledge on dressage breeding that she could use it as a mastermind subject. As can be expected when you do something new in the emerald isle, Tracy has of course been asked a few times “Does Ireland need an approved dressage stallion”?
The way Tracy and I see it is quite simple – a few decades ago supermarkets and television screens were invaded by the likes of Uncle Ben and Chicken Tonight. Many an Irish mammy tutted at the thoughts of replacing the daily spuds with something as exotic as curry and rice. Fast forward and the same people would trade an organ for a Chinese take away on a Saturday night in or a spice bag on the way home from a night out. We didn’t know we needed smart phones, robot hoovers or matchy matchy before we had it either yet here we are using an app to pick what colour looks best on our horse and matching our underwear to our fly veil.
It’s easy to jump in second when you know how deep the water is. It takes someone much braver to jump first into the deep green sea.
Equestrian Reality 
Such a cutie!