MANY congratulations to long-term partners Neil McKnight and Christene Bryson who missed the point-to-point at Maralin on Saturday to get married in Loughbrickland with their wedding reception taking place in the Burrendale Hotel & Country Club, Newcastle.

It was no surprise to learn that Neil’s best man was his great friend Philip Boyd, who was his usual outgoing self as he shared duties with the groom’s brother Mark, while the bridesmaids were Megan McKnight, Nikki Bryne and Ruth Aiken. The couple’s two children also had roles to fill, Taylor being junior bridesmaid while Scott was pageboy.

Neil and Christene have no time for a honeymoon at present but hope to get away during May or June when things are a bit quieter around the yard.

MARALIN EVENTERS

The eventing world was well represented at Maralin on Saturday with at least four of the fence stewards being connected to the discipline. The quartet all hunt with the Iveaghs. Phillip McClean, who is an Eventing Ireland steward and also competes, was once marketing assistant at Downpatrick racecourse but spends much of his time these days as a stunt rider and in film work. Fiona Fitzgibbon mainly competes young horses and runs her own livery yard, Sky Sport Horses, in Co Armagh.

Clare Abbott, who has worked in the weigh-tent here before, is one of the country’s leading event riders. This year, she competed at the World Equestrian Games and at Badminton on Cormac McKay’s Euro Prince with whom she won a three-star class at Ballindenisk in September. Farrier Neil Dickson doesn’t event himself but is connected to the sport as he is Clare’s boyfriend and shoes her horses!