WITH three children under the age of three, Galway’s Margaret Kinsella didn’t attend the FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Event Horses last weekend at Le Lion d’Angers where her homebred Rioghan Rua finished best of the Irish in the seven-year-old division.

The ‘Red Queen’ completed on her dressage score of 53.50 to place 16th under 18-year-old Cathal Daniels who has all of Margaret’s event horses, including Sammy Davis Junior on whom she plans to make her comeback next year.

“I say that but he’s promising and Cathal would like to aim him at Le Lion in which case I won’t be riding him. Mister Brightside (sixth in the CIC*** at Ballindenisk last month) is on the market but Cathal may have plans for him as well!”

Margaret has no intention of selling Rioghan Rua nor her half-sister Sassy Cassie (by Cascaletto St Ghyvan Z) who was sixth on Sunday in the Grand Prix at Cavan. The nine-year-old is ridden by Athenry’s Glenn McCullough who is married to Kinsella’s very supportive vet, Tina Roche. “I want to hold on to the mares as their dam (Highland Destiny, by Flagmount King) died foaling her now two-year-old, a colt by Cruise On. Cathal has been doing a little bit with her four-year-old Cobra gelding (Cobra King).”

Margaret is married to ophthalmologist Frank Kinsella who isn’t really into horses but does enjoy travelling to events, particularly those abroad.

“We went to Jardy last year for the European junior championships where Cathal and Rua were on the gold medal-winning team but this year didn’t get to Bishop Burton where they again won team gold and also individual silver.”

The couple’s non-attendance was understandable as twins Megan and Tegan, who were born 10 weeks premature, only got home from intensive care in mid-August, much to the delight of big brother Senan.