LAST Friday proved a very sad occasion for the McGuinness family of Rush in north Co Dublin as they had to put down their former Grade A show jumping pony Trina Cheile who had reached the venerable age of 33.

The brown gelding spent the majority of the past 27 years in the care of racehorse trainer Ado McGuinness whose elder daughter, Lorna, was the first of his children to ride the pony, doing so from late 2009 to the end of the following year when her brother Tadhg took over the ride.

Tadhg and Trina Cheile took part in all the top 128cms classes throughout Ireland from early 2011 through to December 2014. The highlight of their career together came in 2012 when the combination qualified for the 128cms championship at the Dublin Horse Show where they had massive support from family members.

Among those who regularly rode Trina Cheile under SJI rules before Lorna were Sarah Kate Quinlivan, Gerie Devie (a pupil of Ado’s), Cormac Hanley, Ciara Hanley and Ado’s nephew Luke McGuinness, and on one occasion he was partnered by Elizabeth Power. Like Tadhg, Cormac competed on the bay in the 128cms championship at Dublin, while Gerie qualified him for the same competition but, unfortunately, broke her collarbone the week before the show.

Trina Cheile spent the last six years in retirement at the McGuinness’s Hayestown House yard in the company of Beau Michael who won four races on the flat, seven over hurdles and three over fences for Ado up to September 2014. Like his old friend, the now 16-year-old Beau Michael also competed at the Dublin Horse Show, appearing in the racehorse to riding horse class under Lorna in 2015.