Star winner

MANY congratulations to Co Meath international event rider Sarah Ennis who was voted the winner of the Gain Equine Nutrition/The Irish Field Star of the Month award for August.

Judging photo

MANY apologies to highly respected Cork show pony exhibitor Dermot Horgan who was inadvertently included in a photo accompanying last week’s judging feature. We are happy to clarify that Mr Horgan is not associated with judging or any judges.

Charity show

PREPARATIONS are ongoing for the Owners, Pony and Young Riders’ Charity Show which takes place at the Green Glens Arena, Millstreet, Co Cork, from October 27th - 29th. Over the last 30 years, the show committee has been able to donate over €300,000 to a wide range of charities including the Irish Cancer Society, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital and St. Vincent de Paul. The 2017 show looks set to be as busy as ever with classes ranging from Starter Stakes up to 1.20m (Ponies) and 1.30m (Young Riders up to 25 years). Entries close this weekend with further information available on www.ownerscharityshow.org.

Top horses die

THE great Holsteiner stallion Clinton (Corrado I x Masetto) passed away this week, aged 24. Ridden throughout his wonderful career by Belgium’s Dirk Demeersman, Clinton finished fourth at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. He was retired at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen and has sired over 50 approved stallions, including the now influential Cornet Obolensky. World leading dressage sire De Niro also died at the age of 24, according to Klosterhof Medingen stud where he stood and lived out his retirement. The Hanoverian stallion was euthanised due to ongoing laminitis.Hugely influential in the world of sport horse breeding, De Niro competed at Grand Prix level from the age of seven, winning the German Championships for Professional Riders in 2001. At the age of nine, he took international Grand Prix titles at Saumur and Berlin.