State Papers: Haughey 'embarrassed' over gift of 'very poor standard' thoroughbreds

Charlie Haughey — a well-known horse enthusiast — was initially delighted at the offer of the gift of the seven thoroughbred animals by West Virginia-based businessman, Vincent Melzac.

Taoiseach Charles Haughey was literally forced to look a gift horse in the mouth – or seven animals to be exact – after pedigree Arabian thoroughbreds presented to the State by a wealthy US donor were found upon close examination to be “of a very poor standard.” 

Details of the embarrassing incident in 1989 were released in State papers made available by the National Archives.

They showed Mr Haughey — a well-known horse enthusiast — was initially delighted at the offer of the gift of the seven thoroughbred animals by West Virginia-based businessman, Vincent Melzac whom he had met in Washington in March 1989, but ultimately rejected the present.

Mr Melzac, who was terminally ill at the time, wanted to gift the horses to the State in honour of his wife’s Irish background.

Documents show the Taoiseach, who kept horses in stables on his own Abbeville estate in Kinsealy, Co Dublin, took a deep personal interest in monitoring all aspects of the importation of the horses from the US.

Transport costs

One note indicated Mr Haughey wished to see the horses on their arrival in Ireland.

They also reveal that the State bore the cost of bringing the horses to Ireland in September 1989 at a cost of over £25,000 following a visit to Mr Melzac’s ranch in West Virginia by the Irish ambassador to the US, Padraig McKiernan.

Three senior officials from the Department of Agriculture in Dublin also flew out to the US to inspect the animals.

However, concern about the condition of the horses was only raised after they were housed in the National Stud in Kildare in advance of a formal acceptance ceremony due to be held on December 12, 1989.

A senior vet found they were not of the standard expected while the National Stud’s manager claimed they were “quite inferior.” 

It resulted in Mr Haughey deciding not to attend the ceremony as it could be “embarrassing” if he went to the National Stud to inspect the animals.

Expert analysis

The Taoiseach also indicated he wanted an expert from the British Arab Horse Society to conduct an independent assessment of the seven horses which consisted of two stallions, four mares, and a colt.

However, the Department of Agriculture insisted the horses had “impeccable pedigree” and noted they had been picked by Mr Melzac.

Documents showed that it was agreed that the colt represented the best prospect, while the two stallions were sub-standards with mixed views held on the condition of the mares.

A report by the president of the British Arab Horse Society, Finn Guinness, a member of the famous brewing dynasty, concluded that three of the mares were “quite nice” and “could be tried out for breeding.” However, Mr Guinness said the fourth mare had “a bad head and a lot of white on her which is particularly unsuitable in the Irish climate". 

He also liked the two-year colt which he said had “quality” and could make a useful stallion but Mr Guinness admitted disappointment in the standard of the two older stallions.

“They do not seem to be good enough to contribute usefully to our breeding here in Ireland … They are both quite nice ordinary animals but not up to the standard required in a breeding stallion.” 

The four mares were sent to the Teagasc Agricultural College in Piltown, Co Kilkenny where they were retained for pure breeding. The colt was left at the National Stud for another year, while the stallions were leased out to non-thoroughbred breeders.  Mr Melzac who intended travelling to Ireland for the acceptance ceremony, died a month before it was due to take place, which probably spared a lot of blushes among Irish officials.

In a letter informing officials of his death, the businessman’s wife, Sheila Downey Melzac wrote: “Enjoy and love these horses as he did.”