AROUND 60 people attended Wednesday night’s annual general meeting of the Northern Region of Eventing Ireland in the La Mon Hotel & Country Club where the guest speaker was the 2018 World Equestrian Games individual and team silver medallist, Padraig McCarthy.

Before the Devon-based Irish international took to the stage, attendees were first welcomed by regional chairman Catherine Abbott who quickly asked the NR treasurer, John McBride, to give his report.

At the bottom line, the accounts showed a turnaround from last year’s deficit to a surplus of over £3,000 and that in spite of three less events being held.

As an explanation, McBride pointed out the nationwide increase in entry fees, a much-appreciated large donation from the Tyrella season title sponsor Lightsource, continued support from established sponsors, the annual awards ball and the excellent fund-raising carried out for fence-building at Tyrella by Vina Buller and her hard-working team.

In her brief address, Abbott also thanked Buller and others on that fund-raising committee, the Region’s faithful sponsors and, of course, all landowners. She also mentioned how successful Eventing Ireland’s new rolling membership had proven and singled out for praise the Regional competitors who represented Ireland at the Junior and Young Rider European championships at Maarsbergen, The Netherlands in July.

Before closing, Abbott asked members and friends of the Region to support the David Foster Injured Riders Fund Ball at the Johnstown Estate, Enfield next month and committed the Region to further fund-raising for Air Ambulance NI.

McCarthy’s story

“I don’t actually enjoy public speaking,” was Padraig McCarthy’s opening to his address but all present certainly enjoyed listening to the Tipperary-born rider as he went through his life from playing Gaelic football in Co Tipperary, to the family buying their first pony, his early years in college, his break to show jump in Switzerland, his very successful return to his studies and then his transition to one of our leading international event riders.

He acknowledged the great support he had from his wife Lucy (and her late father Hendrik) but also said they had disagreed when he set his sights on going to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio where, with a cross-country course much more difficult than anticipated, he was eliminated with Lucy’s former mount Simon Purloe, as he had been at the European championships at Blair Castle a year previously.

He also spoke of the disappointment of Mr Chunky doing a tendon at Tattersalls in 2016, the gelding’s return to form and that dual silver medal success at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon two years later and the fact that the horse did a suspensory at Badminton last year.

Mr Chunky is now being worked on a water treadmill so hopefully will be back to campaign for a place at the Olympics Games in Tokyo. “We have some very good riders who want to go to Tokyo and Sally (Corscadden) has a good team around us. There is also a very good team spirit.”

McCarthy commented on the MGH Sport Horses buying and selling operation he and Lucy run. They have 30 horses in work and 70 in total including broodmares and youngstock. “It’s great breeding our own as it’s hard to get horses these days. I’d love to be riding all Irish horses but, at the time when no one knew me, I could buy Irish horses; nowadays, I’m asked too much for them.”