HE may not have been honoured for his involvement with the horse world but many will know Hillsborough’s Christopher Murdock who was awarded an MBE in King Charles’s New Year’s Honours List for his voluntary service to St John Ambulance.

Christopher, who was chair of St John Ambulance Northern Ireland, got involved with horses through his late wife Rosemary, with whom he helped run events at Tyrella. He was on the Northern Region committee of the Irish Horse Trials Society, now Eventing Ireland, while his voice became well known as commentator at local events and at internationals at Necarne, Blarney and Punchestown.

Christopher’s son Jeremy, now a veterinary surgeon in Massachusetts, used to event as did his daughter Alexandra (now McCully) who also show jumped. She runs the Fairmount Stables livery yard outside Hillsborough as well as being a full-time biology teacher and an A-Level tutor. Christopher no doubt keeps a close eye on the riding career of Alexandra’s seven-year-old son Marcus.