Moore wins Star of the Month award

MANY congratulations to Co Galway international show jumping rider Stephen Moore who was voted the Gain Equine Nutrition/The Irish Field Star of the Month award winner for April.

Connaught League kicks off

THE Connaught League kicks off at Duffy’s Equestrian Centre today (Saturday) and will run over seven legs. The league is being generously sponsored by Tiernan Gill of The Gill Group (1.35m division), Vinnie Duffy of Duffy Sport Horses (1.25m classes), Martin Flesk Plumbing, and Heather Young of California’s Wayfarer Farm (4yo classes).

Micklem is the guest speaker

WENDY Conlon, equine specialist at Teagasc, will be chatting with William Micklem of Annacrivey Stud about the handling and early training of young stock from the ground on Tuesday, June 1st at 8.30pm during the ‘Let’s Talk Equine’ webinar.

William will share his advice and insights on this topic with opportunity for viewers to have their questions answered. To register, visit www.teagsc.ie/letstalkequine

HCI before Oireachtas Committee

MEMBERS of the Horse Care Ireland group will take part in a Joint Oireachtas Agriculture Committee debate next Tuesday afternoon. It’s understood that topics such as equine/canine identification, change of ownership and tracing will be among those aired at the session.

Clifden sales add marketplace feature

AFTER a bumper two-say sale in Clifden (see page 101), the Connemara Pony Sales has introduced a new marketplace feature to its website. The feature allows seller to list their pony on the website (www.connemaraponysales.com) where it will remain for 30 days. The seller must give the sales company their declared reserve price and they will then negotiate will all potential customers.

Once the reserved or an agreed price is achieved, the sale will be completed, subject to terms and conditions and commission. For more information, contact Connemara Pony Sales at +353 95 21861.

Ireland will field three teams

at Dutch Youngster Festival

A LARGE group of Irish Youth athletes have travelled to Wierden in The Netherlands for this weekend’s Dutch Youngster Festival, where Ireland will field teams in the Pony, Children On Horses and Junior Nations Cup competitions. The Junior Nations Cup takes place today (Saturday) and Horse Sport Ireland Youth team manager James Kernan will pick his team from a group of talented riders that includes Caragh Charlton, Erin Crawford, Annie Gibson, Ella Quigley, Leah Stack, brothers Max and Tom Wachman. Trained by Cian O’Connor, Max Wachman and Brooklyn De Hus won the Junior Grand Prix yesterday.

The Children On Horses Nations Cup takes place on Sunday with Kernan selecting his team from a squad of Sophie Byrne, Benjamin Moore, Isabel O’Brien, Russel Robert and Alice Wachman. Lucy Allen is chef d’equipe for the pony team for Sunday’s Nations Cup and the three-member team will be Annie Gibson, Marta Hughes-Bravo and Tom Wachman. Sean Monaghan is in action in the Young Rider competitions in Wierden as an individual.

New horse for Cian O’Connor

CIAN O’Connor has added the hugely exciting eight-year-old stallion Etoile van de Neerheide Z to his string of horses. The Belgian-bred stallion by Emerald van ‘T Ruytershof has been produced by Belgium’s Dieter Vermeiren and recently stepped up to 1.45m level.

O’Connor uploaded a video of the big jumping, eye-catching stallion to his social media this week, saying he was very excited for the future with the horse.

International action returns to Millstreet and Mullingar

FINISHING touches are being put to the preparations - including live streaming - for the upcoming Mullingar International CSI2* Show and Millstreet International next week.

International show jumping and eventing action returns to the Co Westmeath and Co Cork venues for the first time since 2019. The Fagan and Duggan families have pulled out all the stops. Mullingar International takes place from June 3rd to 7th with €90,000 to be won, the event signals a much needed shot in the arm for the Irish equestrian circuit. All eyes were on the Government’s latest announcement yesterday evening concerning the further lifting of Covid restrictions.

Millstreet International - which plays host to some of the world’s top eventers - is previewed on page 103.