TOP hunting and wildlife photographer Siobhan English, a former editor of the Irish Horse World section of this paper, attends a few point-to-points each season to keep up with the sport but had an extra reason to travel to the North Tipperary meeting outside Nenagh last Sunday.

Siobhan’s nephew James English, who has worked full-time at Joseph O’Brien’s yard for the past two years, also works part-time with Garrett Power who gave the 22-year-old his first ride in a point in the winners of one on Itsanoldcliche. James very much enjoyed the experience but, at the fourth last, pulled-up the 10-year-old who won his maiden last season at Durrow.

“I’m very grateful to Garrett and to the horse’s owner, Thomas O’Neill from Carrick-On-Suir, for allowing me ride Itsanoldcliche,” commented James. “When I was younger, I did a lot of hunting and bits and pieces of show jumping. I spent two years on the equitation course at Kildalton before I joined Joseph and I learned a lot during my time there.”