Tu Va Stables in Co. Meath

County Meath

County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 is an Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 thoroughbred horse racing stable and breeding business that was established by Noel Meade

Noel Meade

Noel Meade is a famous horse trainer from Ireland. He established Tu Va Stables in Co. Meath, Ireland as a place to train his horses.Meade began his career as a horse trainer in 1971, but it was not until 1978 that Meade started to become well recognized. Sweet Mint, winner of the Cork and Orrery...

, a prominent National Hunt racing

National Hunt racing

National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...

 horse trainer

Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

.

Although he was a trainer, Meade did ride one horse early on in his career, Tu Va. He rode Tu Va to a win in a maiden hurdle in August 1971. Responsible for his first win as a trainer, Meade decided to name his stables after Tu Va.

Tu Va is spread out over 175 acre (0.7082005 km²). There are a number of different facilities on the stable grounds. There are three different gallops: a six-furlong

Furlong

A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....

, all weather gallop; a mile long, all weather gallop; and a mile long, half grass gallop. There is also an indoor gallop that is used as a warm up, especially during the harsh winter months. There is an equine spa on the grounds to help treat the horses to the various injures that occur during practice. Two horse walkers are present that are used to keep the horses active. There are also schooling facilities for horses, including baby hurdles

Hurdling (horse race)

A Hurdle race in England is a National Hunt horse race where the horses jump over obstacles called hurdles that are over three and a half feet high. They are typically made of brush, that has some flexability. Hurdle races always have a minimum of eight hurdles and a minimum distance of two miles ....

 and fences to regulation hurdles and fences seen during actual races.

Tu Va has three principal jockeys, Paul Carberry

Paul Carberry

Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers...

, Niall Madden

Niall Madden

Niall "Slippers" Madden is an Irish jockey who rode the racehorse Numbersixvalverde to win the 2006 Grand National steeplechase at Aintree Racecourse....

 and Paul’s sister, Nina Carberry

Nina Carberry

Nina Carberry is an Irish female National Hunt jockey. She hails from a racing family and is the daughter of jockey Tommy Carberry. In 2011 she won the Irish Grand National on Organisedconfusion which was trained by her uncle Arthur Moore and became only the second woman rider to win the race...

. The current stable lad is Alan McIlroy, who has spent 13 years at Tu Va. McIlroy and the employees at Tu Va were in line to be the first stable staff to receive part of the £1m Triple Crown of Hurdling

Triple Crown of Hurdling

The Triple Crown of Hurdling is awarded to any horse that wins all three of the Grade 1 Hurdling races in any given English National Hunt season...

 bonus offered by WBX

WBX

World Bet Exchange is a person-to-person betting exchange based in Notting Hill Gate, London in the United Kingdom, and licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. WBX.com was founded in 2002 by Malcolm Gray but did not officially launch until November, 25th, 2006...

. Had Go Native

Go Native

Go Native is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Double Eclipse and dam, Native Idea. He is owned by Docado Syndicate, trained by Noel Meade, and his primary jockey has been Paul Carberry. He was purchased by the Docado Syndicate for £25,000 from horse dealer Martin Cullinane...

, winner of the 2009 Fighting Fifth Hurdle

Fighting Fifth Hurdle

The Fighting Fifth Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Newcastle over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped...

 and Christmas Hurdle

Christmas Hurdle

The Christmas Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped...

, gone on to win the 2010 Champion Hurdle

Champion Hurdle

The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the online sportsbook StanJames.com, the race is now known as the Stan James Champion Hurdle...

, McIlroy would have received £100,000 and the staff would have received £50,000. However, Go Native struggled early and finished a disappointing 10th out of 12 entries.

Famous Horses trained at Tu Va

• Harchibald
  Harchibald
  Harchibald is a French Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Perugino and dam, Dame D’Harvard. He is owned by DP Sharkey, trained by Noel Meade and predominately ridden by Paul Carberry....
  
  
• Watson Lake
• Aran Concerto
• Go Native
  Go Native
  Go Native is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Double Eclipse and dam, Native Idea. He is owned by Docado Syndicate, trained by Noel Meade, and his primary jockey has been Paul Carberry. He was purchased by the Docado Syndicate for £25,000 from horse dealer Martin Cullinane...
  
  
• More Rainbows
• Power Elite
• Fisher Bridge
• Ballyagran