IHB nomination forms deadline

NOMINATIONS forms for the 2017 elections to the Irish Horse Board Co-operative Society Ltd must be received by the IHB office by noon on Friday, June 30th next.

A vacancy to the board of directors has arisen in each of the following electoral regions: Region 1 (Wicklow, Louth, Kildare, Laois, Offaly, Meath, Westmeath and Dublin); Region 3 (Waterford, Kerry, Limerick and Cork); Region 5: (Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, Longford and Roscommon).

See www.ihb.ie for more information.

Death of Silvano

THE stallion Silvano passed away last Friday morning with a colic. He stood at Michael and Eva Hutchinson’s Ballyquirke Stud in Gowran, Co Kilkenny. The stallion was owned by Bill Smith, renowned horseman and former jockey to the late Queen Mother.

Rio sixth for Coyle

PENTATHLON athlete Natalya Coyle was recently upgraded from seventh to sixth at the Rio Olympics in the pentathlon after a doping case involving a Chinese athlete.

Loss of KY Rolex

KENTUCKY three-day-event is now seeking a new title sponsor for future years as a replacement for Rolex. The company will not renew its sponsorship, which began in 1981, of America’s only four-star event.

Equestrian Events Inc, which organises the event, billed as “the best weekend all year”, has rolled out a rebranded Kentucky Three-Day-Event website and logo.

The decision does not currently affect the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing as the company will continue to offer this $350,000 bonus until 2019.

Only Pippa Funnell (2003) and Michael Jung (2016) have won the Grand Slam to date.

Loss of Acapella Z

BERTRAM Allen’s European Championships individual gold medal-winning pony Acapella Z passed away at the age of 20 last week. With Allen, the pony won the individual gold and team silver in Bishop Burton in 2010, followed by two silver medals in 2011.

“She was incredible, a once in a lifetime pony. She taught me so much and has left us all with wonderful memories. As a family we are incredibly sad at her passing,” Bertram said on his website.

Stradbally competition

WE are giving away three pairs of tickets to the Stradbally Family Fayre, incorporating the National Foxhound, Beagle and Harrier Show, at Stradbally Hall, on Sunday, July 2nd next. This is always a great family day out. To enter, just email fieldcomp@theirishfield.ie with your name and phone number. Winners will be drawn out of the riding hat on Tuesday, June 20th.