Slattery on the mend

HIS many friends will be pleased to hear that Michael Slattery has recovered after taking ill at Clarecastle Show on Sunday. Its Show Director had battled a severe flu for the past two weeks, but was quickly attended to by the onsite medical crew.

“I was so disappointed I could not greet all our sponsors, competitors and judges, but am making an excellent recovery and will be back in action on Monday,” the Clare dynamo told The Irish Field yesterday.

UK vets resist trend

HORSE vets in the UK are not keen for their industry to be corporatised with the issue getting a strong airing at a British Equine Veterinary Association Congress meeting last week.

Just 28% of those who voted agreed with a debate motion that corporatisation is inevitable, while 72% disagreed.

The corporatisation of veterinary practices is a growing trend; the UK’s biggest veterinary group, CVS, has acquired 32 equine practices over the past two years alone, the latest including two of the country’s most prestigious – B&W Group and Bell Equine.

However, it remains a controversial process with strong views from both sides about the potential advantages or drawbacks to veterinary surgeons, their clients and their patients.

Cornetto K sold

ATHINA Onassis has sold two of her world-class mounts, Cornetto K and Living The Dream, to British show jumper Alexandra Thornton.

The talented Cornetto K (Cornet Obolensky x Calido) finished in fourth place at the FEI European Championships in Gothenburg last month under Italy’s Alberto Zorzi, and ninth at last year’s Rio Olympic Games with Brazil’s Doda de Miranda. Onassis was married to the Brazilian for 11 years before splitting early last year.

Living The Dream (Toulon x Flamenco De Semilly) was previously ridden by Ireland’s Alex Duffy and Cameron Hanley before also going to de Miranda and most recently seen under Zorzi. Onassis is trained by Jan Tops and his wife Edwina Tops-Alexander, who train both Zorzi and Thornton (24).

Irish-bred fourth

AN Irish Sport Horse mare was fourth in the U.S. Open $40,000 CSX FEI Speed Class at this week’s Rolex Central Park Horse Show. Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire was fourth on Luibanta BH, a nine-year-old mare by Luidam x Mibanta, owned by Gochman Sport Horse LLC.

Meanwhile, after enjoying the Land Rover Puissance each year at the Dublin Horse Show, Lisa Lourie of Spy Coast Farm, owners with Cork’s Shane Sweetnam, sponsored the $50,000 Puissance at the New York venue, Ireland’s Paul O’Shea unfortunately eliminated in the fourth and final round as the wall reached 6 ft 9”.

The puissance was won in a three-way tie between Emanuel Andrade (VEN) on Clouwni, Kama Godek (USA) and De Grande and Todd Minikus (USA) on VDL Excel.