WATERFORD native Anthony Condon has had an extremely busy and successful summer by anyone’s standards, jumping three double clears at Nations Cup level with Aristio.

However his joy had not been confined to the show jumping arena, with lots of happy news in his personal life too.

Condon and his partner Laura Johnson welcomed their son Hector Sean Condon into the world last Sunday.

Two weeks overdue, the newest arrival weighed a healthy eight pounds and takes his name from his two grandfathers.

Condon, who was best man for David Simpson and Louise Pavitt’s wedding two days earlier, was able to enjoy a few days with his son before leaving for the Spanish five-star show in Gijon, where he was named in the Irish Nations Cup squad.

“It was hard to leave home obviously with a new baby,” Condon told The Irish Field. “But we’ve got a job to do here and I have Aristio, Balzac and SFS Arla competing.”

Asked about his professional highlight of the year so far, Condon said: “The last couple of weeks have been a bit surreal but to jump double clear in three Nations Cup, you can’t get better than that.

“Hickstead was probably the stand-out one of the three because I live in England and Aristio’s owners are English, John, Pat and Lisa Hales, and they were all there to see him and enjoy it.”

Laura, who jumped up to three-star Grand Prix level prior to her pregnancy and produces many of Condon’s young horses in addition to running the yard, has been at his side for all of his Nations Cup successes.