Shergar stand him at the Ballymany Stud in Ireland. He arrived in October 1981, and was paraded down the main street of Newbridge, County Kildare. Milton Toby, the writer on Thoroughbred racing and equine law, judges Shergar to have been "a national hero in Ireland. ... one of the most recognizable sports personalities—horse or human—in Ireland." In 1982—his only rutting season—Shergar covered 44 mares, from which 36 foals were produced: 17 colts and 19 fillies. Of these, three won Group races, and the most successful of his progeny was Authaal. When sold as a weanling (between six months and a year)
Acamas (horse) following year, Acamas described as "unquestionably the best French three-year-old", rating him on 130, three pounds below Ile de Bourbon. In the official International Classification he was also rated three pounds behind Ile de Bourbon, making him the second best three-year-old in Europe, and the third-best horse of any age. In August 1978 a half-share in the colt was sold to the Irish breeder Tim Rogers and he began his stud career at the Ballymany Stud, County Kildare in 1979. He had serious fertility problems and sired very few foals. He was returned to racing as an eight-year-old in 1983,