Madeleine Lloyd Webber – Owner
Madeleine has always been passionate about horses and enjoyed a successful career in eventing before turning her hand to breeding racehorses. Madeleine had already known Simon Marsh for many years and it was he she turned to when deciding to expand her racing and breeding interests.
The first step in turning her passion into a business was going to the sales and investing in three or four choicely-bred fillies to serve as foundation broodmares. Madeleine regularly liaises with Simon, who has gone on to manage her racing and breeding interests ever since.
Watership Down’s monumental success over the last 20 years is largely down to Madeleine’s vision and will to see the operation is run as a business and remains commercial. By keeping most of the fillies and selling most of the colts they ensure that the incredibly successful foundation bloodlines remain and continue producing top-class racehorses and future broodmares for the stud. Incidentally, recent Group 1 winner, The Fugue, is a direct descendent of one of the stud’s foundation mares.
She said: “I am immensely proud of what the stud has achieved, however this would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication from our teams/staff at both studs and behind the scenes in the office, for that I am extremely grateful.”
Simon Marsh – General Manager
Simon was approached by Andrew and Madeleine in 1992 and he has been an integral part of Watership Down Stud and it’s development ever since. Simon oversees the management of both Watership Down and Kiltinan ensuring both farms are run in tandem with their individual managers to ensure the best possible results.
Prior to joining Watership Down, Simon had built up years of experience in the thoroughbred industry learning his trade at leading stud farms such as The Royal Studs, Egerton and Lordship Stud in England. Simon also worked at Haras de Fresnay le Buffard in France, and Airdrie, Saxony and Lane’s End Farms in the USA. After a year at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Inc, working in the cataloguing department he worked for Pacemaker Publications as International Advertising Director. In 1991 Simon went on to set up his own company Myriad Bloodstock & Communications Ltd. Myriad acts as a bloodstock consultancy and as co-publisher of the Timeform Bloodstock Sales Guides.
Terry Doherty – Stud Manager, Watership Down Stud
Few stud managers have as much experience as Terry, who has been in the business for over 40 years. Terry has been with Watership Down since the beginning and his passion and attention to detail ensures that he is always striving for the top.
Prior to joining Watership Down, Terry worked at the Earl of Halifax’s Garrowby Stud, Meon Valley Stud, The National Stud, Aston Park Stud, Theakstone Stud and spent a year in America.
Terry is a dedicated professional and he gains an enormous amount of satisfaction from watching the foals and yearlings he has nurtured as youngsters go on to achieve great things on the racecourse.
Donna Vowles – Stud Manager, Kiltinan Castle Stud
Donna has been Stud Manager at Kiltinan Castle Stud since 2013. Donna first worked at Watership Down Stud many years ago as part of our sales prep team. When the vacancy for stud manager at Kiltinan Castle Stud became available she was our first and only choice.
Originally from Birmingham, Donna has always been a dedicated horsewoman. She graduated from the National Stud course in Newmarket with distinction and won the Tim Dunlop Scholarship Award. Donna then spent time working at Owedeswell Manor Stud in Cheltenham and Overbury Stud in Gloucestershire before joining the Watership Down Stud sales team. She then spent 9 years working in America’s equine heartland, Kentucky, ending up as assistant broodmare manager at the world-renowned Lane’s End Farm. Donna became Stud Manager at Kiltinan Castle Stud in 2013. Her professionalism, knowledge and attention to detail make her an essential part of our team.
