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Should I Get A Pre-Purchase Exam On A Horse? But it wasnt just any horse. If they had wanted to steal a horse, they couldnt have found a kinder horse,' said Doreen Swinburn. Scientific tests on a skull of a horse found in Ireland have ruled out the possibility that it was the remains of kidnapped racehorse Shergar. But Ballinamore has form. However, another line of dialogue was taking place through Ballymany Stud, where a caller gave the code name King Neptune the name the kidnappers had instructed Jim Fitzgerald to remember and pass on. The kidnap strategy was divided into three parts. and the rest are nowhere. He proved infertile as a stallion, as none of the 34 mares bred to him became pregnant. Shergar was so far out of sight that John Matthias, riding the second-placed Glint of Gold, admitted that in the tumult he was convinced hed won the race. In 1999, former IRA gunman Sen O'Callaghan published his memoirs, The Informer. Stud fees were set at around 80,000 for each time it covered a brood mare. Negotiations with the kidnappers continued for four days and a Polaroid photograph was provided, showing Shergar and an up-to-date copy of the Irish Times before the kidnappers suddenly fell silent. Mr Foley, who used to enjoy betting on Shergar, said yesterday: "I found the skull in a sack hidden behind a rock in a dip. However, it is still possible to see, hundreds of feet below and stretching to the horizon, the most sparsely populated terrain in all of Ireland. Shergar wins the Derby - and you need a telescope to see the rest. - Peter Bromley, BBC Radio, June 3rd, 1981. If we can show it is possible to identity him after all this time it may deter other people from kidnapping horses," he said. It was the time of horse sales in the area and the roads were full of horseboxes. The horse was much-loved and a celebrity in itself, and was a five-year old embarking on his second year out to stud when three armed men wearing masks burst into Ballymany threatening the head groom Jim Fitzgerald and his family. Shergar was a legend long before his unfortunate end, winning Irish and English Derbys - the latter by a record margin. It was several hours before the Garda were informed, but by then there were no clues. The disappearance of the iconic racehorse, suspected to be the work of the IRA, has fascinated people for more than three decades. Shergar was hailed as the greatest racehorse of all time when he won the 1981 Epsom Derby. This process is referred to as a caricature of police bungling, as the actual police werent notified until 8 hours after Shergar was taken and the men were long gone from the area. Taking the horse was relatively simple and the details were recounted in newspaper reports that circulated around the world in the days afterwards. The other IRA figure was Kieran Conway, a one-time intelligence chief of the organisation, who had rejoined the organisation after the 1981 hunger strikes. He was a 25/1 shout for the Derby after trainer Michael Stoute decided to prepare him after his maiden season in 1980. Millars film is a forensic portrayal of Shergars kidnapping and contains definitive interviews with Cosgrove and Fitzgerald, both of whom died in the years afterwards. What happened to Shergar, when was he kidnapped and where And Walter was laughing. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. When he was returned to Ireland after her first winning season, he was syndicated for $15 million between 34 people - each share was worth around $382,000, six of which were kept by the Aga Khan. Horse Profile and Mysterious Disappearance of Shergar Thats it.. Shergar It was a very bloody death." Furthermore, a prominent Provo-supporting family used to live in the village of Aughnasheelan, three miles from Ballinamore, which is surrounded by deep bogs where a horse's body could easily be hidden. It was several minutes before Shergar bled to death. In an interview given to the Telegraph in 2008, a source claimed that Shergar was machine-gunned to death by the IRA. Don Tidey, an Irish businessman, was found alive in woods near the town after being kidnapped by the IRA at the end of 1983, months after Shergar's disappearance. "After the 1981 hunger strikes, the IRA had increased in strength and support, but desperately needed more funds. They have narrowed the field, in a manner of speaking, down to a small townland called Aughrasheeling, not far from Ballinamore, and less than 10 miles from the Northern Ireland border. Until a decade ago this was "bandit country", the remote hills and marshlands from where the IRA and its supporters smuggled arms over the border and planned their raids on the security forces in Northern Ireland. She laughs at the memory before another thought occurs. The Boomtown Rats released Banana Republic. Senior IRA leader Kevin Mallon is thought to be the man who devised the plot. Mr Foley said the remains were hidden in a sack at the bottom of a ditch. Now, chief reporter Andrew Alderson has solved the mystery of Shergar's final hours, why his remains have never Most domesticated horses in the world today are used to ride and to do farm or ranch work. The gang had chosen the time for the snatch carefully. In February 1983, at the height of The Troubles, Ireland faced a truly mysterious crime that remains virtually unsolved. As he was freed the kidnappers told him their chilling terms. It is also widely believed his kidnappers buried him in a bog in Co. Leitrim, though some think they dumped him into the sea of Irelands south coast. . "Shergar was machine gunned to death. His US Triple Crown performances ingrained his place in history. He was buried near his sire, Bold Ruler, in a small graveyard behind the office at the farm. A week later, The Irish Times reported that a loaded magazine from a semi-automatic rifle was found near the outside wall of Ballymany Stud and recognised as the kind used by the Provisional IRA in south Armagh. Mr Reynolds, 46, who was Fine Gael MP for Sligo/Leitrim for 20 years, until last year, said: "According to folklore, Shergar lies buried in an outlying farm near Ballinamore. All rights reserved. He was astonished to find it was pierced by two bullet holes. Shergar, a beloved thoroughbred Shergar's skull 'found in ditch' - The Independent They are expected to carry out DNA tests. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The family was in Ireland and made a detour to Ballymany one afternoon for a quick visit. WebShergar's remains have never been found and the thieves have never been officially identified. We want 2 million [ransom] for him," one said. All sorts of thoughts were racing through my head about what they might do to me. "That's not a very nice thing to do," he said slowly, with typical Irish understatement, as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. Shergar His reluctance to talk is understandable. Now, however, an investigation by The Sunday Telegraph to mark the 25th anniversary of the horse's kidnapping finally solves the puzzle of Shergar's final hours, why his remains have never been found and how the Garda, the Irish police, bungled their investigation. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. The bay colt was owned by the Aga Khan, the billionaire spiritual leader to 15 million Ismaili Muslims, was trained by Sir Michael Stoute at Newmarket and was ridden by the "choirboy", an angelic looking 19-year-old jockey called Walter Swinburn, who now trains in Britain. They found the horse just as they imagined. 8 Incredible Facts About Red Rum (Records, Stats, Foals But I couldnt get my head around the horse, and it brought it back to the fact that there is a fear of somebody saying something that would get them in trouble. "Shergar was a grand horse and he deserved better. It was believed Shergar - valued at 10m - was taken by the IRA, which was short of money and looking for new sources of funding. She says: "Sean wrote letters from Maghaberry to Liam on a frequent basis, sometimes two a week, during the early-1990s. O'Callaghan suggested the horse had thrown itself into a frenzy, injured a leg and that it was put out of its misery and "was killed within days even though the IRA kept up the pretence that he was alive". About 100 cameramen and journalists were in or outside the Europa Hotel as Thompson and his co-negotiators arrived. "There Was Blood Everywhere": What Really Happened to Shergar Shergar was five years old and preparing for his second season as a breeding stallion when he was snatched from the Ballymany Stud in Co Kildare - just a stone's throw from The Curragh racetrack - on a foggy winter's evening. Bred by the Aga Khan in County Kildare not too far from the stud from which he was eventually taken, Shergar was trained by Sir Michael Stoute in Newmarket. They warned Mr Fitzgerald not to inform the police and said they would be in touch at noon yesterday with more details. ", Jim Fitzgerald, Shergar's former groom with a photograph of the prize bay stallion: 'He was a grand horse', Kevin Mallon, a convicted killer and senior IRA leader who has been identified as the man behind the plot, The Aga Khan owned six of the 40 shares in Shergar, Donald Trump to arrive in UK in week of Coronation, I wasnt good at being a performing monkey, King reveals in BBC documentary, Sadiq Khans Ulez has turned centre of London into a ghost town, I took a pay cut to get a public sector pension, Technology and slow growth will destroy 14 million jobs by 2027, Jewish leaders want to meet Guardian editor over anti-Semitic Richard Sharp cartoon, Brough Scott: Extraordinary racing machine's callous end. On the racecourse, as a two- and three-year-old, Shergar had been nothing short of sensational, winning the 1981 Derby by 10 lengths, a record distance that century for Britain's biggest flat race. It is then believed, and the claim is repeated in a documentary on BBC One in Northern Ireland on Thursday night, that the remains were buried in a bog. The brass nameplate on Secretariats stall door will remain there. When she spoke with people, she found them friendly but reticent to speak about her chief subject. He was thought to have a long and distinguished stud career ahead of him. Over the course of the following few days, a strange and blackly comic series of late-night phone calls and false trails formed the official backdrop to a nationwide trawl of farm yards and sheds for the missing horse. Copyright 2023 Irish Studio LLC All rights reserved. Security was minimal, which reflects a kind of misplaced innocence and trust when it came to Ireland and horses. Searching for Shergar, BBC One Northern Ireland, Thursday, June 7, Receive today's headlines directly to your inbox every morning and evening, Please check your inbox to verify your details, I thought Id be hauled over the coals, but my boss suggested I see a doctor. Mr Cosgrove, in turn, rang his friend, former Army officer Captain Sean Berry. The Begum Aga Khan with Shergar after his victory in the Irish Sweeps Derby at the Curragh on June 29th, 1981. Alison stresses that the programme, which is screened next week on BBC One Northern Ireland, is a documentary, not an investigation, but it obviously required much research. He said the kidnappers had failed to make proper provision to look after the horse, which damaged a leg in a horsebox and proved impossible to control. An Irish councillor claims he had discovered the head of horse racing legend Shergar. It was left to each member to insure his own share. Rutgers is studying the fragments to determine exactly what was found on the site of long-abandoned church. In an apparent bid to receive a pay out, jailed IRA informant Seon O'Callagan claimed the horse died within 24 hours. Revered Irish racehorse Shergar was taken at gunpoint from Ballymany Stud in County Kildare on February 8, 1983, and never seen again. Shergars body was never found, and the case remains a mystery. Members of the 34-share syndicate could face huge losses if he is damaged. A gate leading to the stud was unguarded and unlocked when the gunmen arrived at 8.30 on Tuesday night. Alan Dukes, the local MP and Irish finance minister, was then woken by a phone call from Mr Berry telling him of Shergar's kidnapping. It is 35 years since Derby winner Shergar was horse-napped from the Ballymany Stud in County Kildare, Ireland. He was buried at the winning post of the Aintree Racecourse, which is still a destination for his fans. Those hairs would be invaluable DNA evidence if any remains of the animal are ever found. 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Hes dead.. There was blood everywhere, and the horse even slipped on his own blood. I think Wally and [trainer] Michael Stoute not me, I can assure you, I was the one who was in bits were very good with him. Shergar, scheduled to cover up to 55 mares a year, has put 42 of his first 44 mares in foal. While there was a massive hunt for the horse and several different ransom requests were made, the horse was never seen or heard from again. It is used to make some wall and fine arts paintbrushes. Shergar, a beloved thoroughbred racehorse worth over $15 million, was kidnapped from his stable in County Kildare by a gang of machine gun-wielding men in balaclavas. The truth about Shergar racehorse kidnapping - The Telegraph After failed attempts to demand money for the stallion, gentle Shergar was brutally killed and his body was never found. "I can tell you, I didn't look around once - I was happy to be on the ground," he said in a broad Co Kildare accent. "When I saw the names he mentioned, I knew right away that what he was saying in the letters was right," she says. But the horse was kidnapped by an armed gang in 1983. They contained names of people in the racing industry, which I knew were accurate from my own research, and that gave me great confidence in what he was saying. Several owners are understood to have failed to win insurance payouts because, with no body ever found, there was no proof that the stallion was dead. A gorgeous few minutes of television interview exists with Walter Swinburn, utterly unflappable and just 19 when he rode Shergar to victory. I hope one day we can get to the bottom of what happend. What has been discovered almost definitively, according to a close course, was that two handlers, one clutching a machine gun, went into the remote stable where the horse was being held and opened fire. The champion racehorse won the 1981 Derby by a record of 10 lengths. The dark humour disguised the less palatable truth that Ireland, the Banana Republic, couldnt even cherish and safeguard one of the most gorgeous animals the world had seen. When it comes to breeding, there are multiple ranch and Quarter horse bloodlines famous for producing top-quality horses. The kidnappers had agreed to negotiate with a man named Derek Thompson who had worked for ITVs racing team. Shergar was just five years old when he was snatched in the middle of the night from the Ballymany Stud in Co. Kildare. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Doreen Swinburn cant remember the precise date, but Walter Swinburn did, at least, get another chance to say hello to Shergar far away from the thrilling crowds. Jockey Walter Swinburn, who rode Shergar in most of his races, was in India yesterday and had not been told about the horse's disappearance. But on that day in June 1981, the pair owned the day. Even as the case remains unsolved, Taking Shergar offers a new look at this over thirty-year-old mystery. There were cameras all around." I never at any stage thought he was worried. Police said the kidnappers did just that after driving away with their prize. After driving him around for three hours, the kidnappers dumped Fitzgerald out of the car. The equine equivalent of the Lord Lucan mystery, there has been no ending to the riddle, with the IRA never officially claiming responsibility and Shergar's body never found. Walter Swinburn on Shergar after his runaway victory in the Epsom Derby in 1981. If that was not bad enough insurers refused to pay him out, insisting there was no proof that the horse was, indeed, dead. But in emotional terms, Shergar also represented something that was even more priceless in 1981: an uncomplicated Irish success story. It is almost impossible now to watch the footage of Shergar striding away from the field, 10 lengths clear in the Epsom Derby no horse has won it by such a margin before or since without thinking of the cruelty and lonesomeness of his last hours. "I do not believe any ransom will be paid. Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, the IRA, and the US Mafia have all been suggested. 1 Ruffian. But perhaps its greatest mystery is what happened to Shergar, the racehorse once regarded as the nearest real-life equivalent to Pegasus, the winged horse from Greek mythology. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Aghrasheeling translates as "meadow of the fairies", but are people still spinning fairy stories? Searching For Shergar will be on BBC iPlayer (Northern Ireland section) from Thursday night. There was lots of cursing and swearing because the horse wouldnt die. Capt Berry's work and home phone lines were tapped, with his knowledge, by the Dublin police after his association put up a 100,000 reward for information leading to Shergar's safe return. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. Revered Irish racehorse Shergar was taken at gunpoint from Ballymany Stud in County Kildare on February 8, 1983, and never seen again. WebShergar was stolen from the Aga Khan's stud farm by an armed gang on 8 February 1983. The precise nature of how Shergar was killed has never been definitively established, the same as how much of what happened to the record-breaking Derby Collectively it had been decided not to pay the ransom because they figured if they had, every racehorse in the world would be in danger, as many of them were worth over a million pounds (1.5 million dollars) and Ireland had lacked adequate security. Someone has daubed "PIRA [Provisional IRA]" in purple crayon on his white garden wall. He was expected to be a source of profit for the syndicate which owned him. As his second season approached, Shergar was expected to cover at least 55 mares throughout 1983. Mr Kehoe, a former Sinn Fein councillor, said he had not sued O'Callaghan because nobody believed him: "He was working for both sides - that's as much as you need to know about what he has to say.". The kidnappers are widely thought to have been IRA members but much less is known for sure about subsequent events, and Shergar's remains have never been found, while the IRA have never admitted any role in the theft or its aftermath. In 2018, the Belfast-based documentary maker succeeded in making a film, Searching for Shergar, which is at once a warm evocation of his splendid life and an examination of the eerie void left by the manner of his death. ", Michael Stoute, who trained the horse to win two Derbys, said: "He was the best I ever had.". Letters written by an IRA supergrass to the Belfast Telegraph's late political editor, Liam Clarke, proved pivotal in the making of a new BBC documentary on one of Ireland greatest kidnap mysteries. They all suffered in some way. The IRA plan was naive: they assumed they were blackmailing the Aga Khan for a ransom of 2 million. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. solve mystery of who kidnapped Shergar And I want to say the police will block any attempt to pay any ransom.". Tommy Foley, from Tralee in Co Kerry, said he found the remains of the stallion's skull last Saturday during an annual clean up of a glen outside the West Ireland town. The bay colt was owned by the Aga Khan, the billionaire spiritual leader to 15 million Ismaili Muslims. I love to think about how Secretariat is Ruffians uncle. Months After Disappearance Of Shergar, Questions Remain However, she has happier memories of making the documentary. However because of the media attention and massive police search for the horse it was decided that would be impossible without incriminating the kidnappers so the horse was shot. he was worth an estimated $50 million at stud. Shergar was stolen from Ballymany Stud in Co Kildare on the night of February 9th, 1983. This was it and it was approved by the IRA army council, according to our sources.". Speculation is that they were unable to handle the stallion and shot him before he ran wild on them. Tom Foley, an independent member of Kerry county council, found the skull of a racehorse in a deserted gully near Tralee last Saturday. WebShergar No one has ever admitted responsibility for the incident, and the remains of the horse have never been found. At his home, Jim Fitzgerald was dismayed when I broke the news about exactly how the horse he had cared for had died. Shergar is insured for nearly 4 million, only a fraction of his value. Another would not cause any attention. As his son, Bernard, answered it, three masked and armed men barged their way in and started ordering the family around. Cigar lived out his retirement at the Kentucky Horse Parks Hall of Champions in Lexington. All sorts of thoughts were racing through my head about what they might do to me.