Michael’s business, Quirke Sporthorses Ltd, is also based at Hickstead. Like Shane, Michael is also from Tipperary in Ireland, and his family run the very successful Ballymureen Stud in Tipperary, where they stand some of the best sports horse sires in Ireland, Ars Vivendi, Querlybet Hero, Beowulf, Olympic Lux, and Harlequin du Carel.
Michael has been buying and selling top class show jumpers all over the world for many years, and his contacts in the sport are second to none. Some of the most notable sales Michael has been involved in are the sale of Valentina van ‘t Heike to Jos Lansink; Contact Z to Juan Carlos Garcia, Carmena Z to Saer Coulter, Warrior to Jamal Rahimov and Frisky to Ludger Beerbaum.
From 2008 – 2011 Michael was the show jumping coach to the Irish Eventing Team, for the Beijing Olympics and the World games in Kentucky, a post he only relinquished due to increasing international commitments. He is always on hand to help with the training of horses and riders at Breen Equestrian at Hickstead. Michael has the unique experience of training both show jumpers and eventers at the highest level and therefore is able to appreciate the demands placed on horse and rider by both disciplines.