WELL done to Clara Cully who made her debut at the recent Ward Union children’s meet on the occasion of her fourth birthday.

The meet took place at the family’s Rathbeggan House, Dunshaughlin where Clara was one of about 30 children on lead rein, as was her sister Charlotte (six) and cousin Daniel Carroll (nine), while there were about 40 others off lead. The younger riders stayed mainly around the grounds of Rathbeggan House but the older brigade headed over to the cross-country schooling grounds at Quarrylands.

Clara comes from a family of Ward Union followers as her grandfather Basil Brindley hunted regularly with the pack while her father Maurice still continues to do so. Her mother Buddy used to hunt with the Ward, and play polo, but is currently taking a back seat from these equestrian pursuits. Once Clara is off the lead rein, we can expect to see Buddy back in the saddle again.

Last March, the Wards’ spring children’s meet was held at the Coolquoy Lodge with the field stopping at the Brindley memorial where Basil spoke about his ancestor, Charles Brindley, in whose memory the monument was erected.

Born in Staffordshire, England, Charles came to Ireland in 1833 to work for Lord Howth. He was appointed huntsman to the Ward Union Hunt in 1844 and moved to Ashbourne, where the kennels were then situated, in 1866. Charles died in 1879 after 35 years as huntsman, succeeded in the position by his son James and grandson Charles. Who knows? Perhaps one day Clara will take up the mantle.