A View From The Ground By Tom Rowland.

We thought 2004 was a great year for Knightfield Stud with some unbelievable performances by Guidam’s progeny. His son Authentic was sensational on the Gold Medal winning team in the Olympics and was Horse of the Year in the U.S.A. He also won Maastricht and the German Master Grand Prix. 

Authentic and Breezie Madden.

Luidam And Billy Twomey.

Luidam’s super performance won Ireland the Aga Khan Nations Cup in the R.D. S. and super performances by Armani contributed to Guidam being no. 1 in USEF Jumping sire Rating and No. 1 in the KWPN Breeding Index for 2004 and one of the top ten living stallions in the World Breeding Rankings proving he had more than adequately met the three criteria for a great sire –pedigree, performance and progeny.

At home our gelding Conduct had a memorable season with five Grand Prix wins and several placings represented Ireland on the victorious Athens Nation Cup  team and also at Zagrab, Podebrady Nation’s Cup teams. Conduct was also the 2004 Athens Grand Prix runner up.

Rivaal our highly promising 6 year old who won Ireland's Triple Crown of showjumping was Balmoral 6 year old champion, The Royal Dublin Horse Show 6 year old and the 6 & 7 year old Cavan champion. Pauli Ekste completed the picture by winning the 130 speed in Barnadown with Sarah Rowland on board.

In 2005 the news just got better and better with both Armani and Authentic either winning or being placed in all major American competitions. Authentic and Armani placed first and second in the Tampa Budweiser Invitational and both performed magnificently to help secure the Samsung Nations Cup for the USA. En route through Europe , Armani won the King George V Cup at Hickstead and Power & Speed at the RDS. Authentic returned to the USA after his European tour to find that he had changed owners for $5 million, the highest price ever paid for a show jumping gelding. In November Pristina, a nine year old filly by Guidam sold for €1.7 million and his young stock sold well with the chestnut filly foal, Amaja J making €21,000 at the Brabant KWPN sale. Luidam, returning to work after an injury, confirmed his fitness, placing 4th in Five Par Competition in the RDS.