Star of the Month

CONGRATULATIONS to Tara Lane who was voted The Irish Field/Gain Equine Nutrition Star of the Month for June after raising over €9,000 for the BUMBLEance Children’s Ambulance Service. To celebrate her 50th birthday, Tara, who runs Centrepiece Rosettes, decided to shave her head to raise the much needed funds. Well done Tara!

Mick Rabbette RIP

CONDOLENCES to the family of Mayo horseman Mick Rabbette who sadly passed away on Wednesday. From Ballyheane in Castlebar, Mick was a renowned breeder of Connemara ponies and stood multiple stallions at his Castleside Stud, including Castleside JJ and Castleside Carraig. Predeceased by his loving wife Evelyn and grandson Odhran, Mick is deeply regretted by his loving son James and daughter Michelle, his four grandchildren, brothers and sisters, son-in-law John, daughter-in-law Niamh, extended family and many friends.

His funeral mass takes place today (Saturday) at 3pm in St Patrick’s Church, Ballyheane. Funeral afterwards to Ballyheane Cemetery. Due to the HSE and Government guidelines, the funeral will be private for family, neighbours and friends only.

Belgian Foal Auction

BIDDING starts from the online Belgian Foal Auction today (Saturday, August 8th) and will end on Monday, August 10th (volume 1) and Tuesday, August 11th (volume 2). Due to Covid-19 regulations, there will be no live auction, so visit www.belgianfoalauction.be to register online.

Included in this collection are some of the best damlines of the world, including Imagine de Muze, Zeta de Hus, Tauber vh Kapelhof, Cordula de Laubry, Jewel 8, Copin v/d Broy and Venue Fee des Hazalles, combined with the some of the best stallions of the world, Cornet Obolensky, Comme il Faut, Emerald, Eldorado van de Zeshoek, Darco and Baloubet du Rouet.

Partial lockdown announced

PEOPLE in Kildare, Offaly and Laois were placed under a partial lockdown for the next two weeks, it was announced yesterday evening (Friday).

The move is in response to a worrying increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the region - 226 new cases in the past 14 days or 48% of the national total.

As we went to press yesterday, it was announced that all sporting events in the region had been banned but non-contact sports could continue subject to a maximum of 15 people. Equestrian sports are non-contact. Meanwhile, training for professional athletes involved in contact sports can continue.