Alannah Kelly wins Star of the Month

KILDARE native Alannah Kelly is the GAIN Equine Nutrition/The Irish Field Star of the Month for September. Kelly was an integral part of the silver-medal winning Irish team at the FEI Young Rider Eventing Championships at Montelibretti, Italy, recently. She was also best of the Irish at the event, claiming individual bronze.

With only one show jumping fence down aboard her Irish Sport Horse ride, Cooley Bounce (Grange Bouncer x Master Imp) Kelly jumped up the leaderboard to finish third on 37.7. It was the pair’s fourth European medal and the perfect send-off from the young rider ranks.

Kelly’s success, along with that of Daniel Meagher (A Classic Sportsfield) and Godfrey Gibbons (Milchem Free Spirit) saw the team move up a place on the podium to claim the team silver, just behind the home team from Italy.

Laurina sold to McLain Ward

THE six-year-old world silver medallist Laurina has been sold to decorated US Olympic medallist McLain Ward. The Stakkato Gold mare is out of Rincarina (Cruising), bred by the late Noel Cawley and owned by his daughter Lisa.

Ridden by Leah Stack, the mare won the five-year-old championship at the Dublin Horse Show in 2022 and followed it up with a win in the six-year-old final this year. She was then selected for the WBFSH World Breeding Championships in Lanaken, Belgium, where she won the silver medal. This marks another shopping trip to Ireland for McLain Ward, who recently purchased the sale topping foal at the Cavan Elite Sales, a sibling of 1.60m performer CSF James Kann Cruz.

Hunt fundraiser at Punchestown Winter Festival

FURTHER to last week’s Pony Tales item, there is an update in relation to the proposed Huntsman’s Challenge. Unfortunately, due to hunt meet commitments, the 2023 Huntsman’s Challenge fundraiser proposed for the Punchestown Winter Festival on Saturday, November 25th, will not take place.

Whilst this is disappointing, all is not lost with the Punchestown team inviting hunts all across the country to join them for the “Hunt Hooley” on day two of the Punchestown Winter Festival, Sunday, November 26th.

Punchestown are gifting a limited number of tickets per hunt and all proceeds will go to the NHSPFS fund. The €20 admission tickets must be purchased in advance via your Hunt Secretary on or before Friday, November 17th. Hunt secretaries can contact Leona on lhughes@punchestown.com or 045 897704 to avail of this offer.

Fond memories of five-star horse

Irish-bred gelding Cornacrew, owned by Maria Buckley and ridden by five-star event rider, Simon Grieve, was put down this week (October 24th) at the age of 24, following a long and happy retirement.

Simon and Bozzie, as he was known, were a partnership since 2010 and they progressed through the levels together. They competed at Barbury, Blenheim, Badminton and Pau, but Burghley was his speciality. His last event was Badminton in 2016.

“He shouldn’t have been an event horse, but he just loved it,” Simon told Horse and Hound. “He wasn’t really built for it, not built for speed, and when he was jumping, he always did just enough. But when it got to jumping something ginormous, he gave 110%.

“We did nine five-stars and we were always really slow! But we just had such a great time going round. He was such a lovely person and so funny and entertaining – he would come and join us for picnics in the lorry park – he was just brilliant. I feel so privileged and honoured to have been a small part of his life, because he was a very special being, not just horse.”

Hunt to host auction

THE Ballymacad Hunt are hosting an “Auction of Promises” in the Headfort Arms Hotel in Kells on Friday, November 3rd. Lots include All-Ireland football and hurling final tickets, hotel stays, dinner parties and hunting days with various packs. The evening will start at 7.30pm with complimentary supper.

The Auction catalogue can be viewed on the Ballymacad Hunt Facebook page and phone bids will be accommodated.

For further information, contact Rachel on 087 2969137.

Bennett Family Fund fundraiser

A fundraiser night, including live music, finger food and raffle, takes place this Saturday (October 28th) in McNamara’s Bar in Louisburgh for the Bennett Family Fund. This was set up to assist the local show chairman, Tommy Bennett and his family after a house fire last March. Donations can also be made via the Louisburgh Killeen Bennett Family Facebook page.