Star of the Month

DON’T forget to vote for your favourite in the April Star of the Month competition. Voting closes next Thursday, May 27th, at midnight. The nominees are David Blake, Darragh Kerins, Stephen Moore and Shane Sweetnam. Visit www.theirishfield.ie/vote to cast your vote.

Nations Cup team

IRISH show jumping team manager Michael Blake has named his team for next Friday’s Italian Nations Cup at Piazza di Siena in Rome. The team is Wexford’s Bertram Allen with Pacino Amiro (ISH); Offaly’s Darragh Kenny with Idalville D’Esprit; Tipperary’s Denis Lynch with Cristello and Louth’s Mark McAuley with Jasco VD Bisschop.

Ireland have not won the Nations Cup in Rome to date and a total of 12 teams are set to battle for the trophy. The Nations Cup, worth €200,000 takes place on Friday, May 28th.

Maeve Chadwick RIP

THE death took place last Saturday, peacefully at her home in Killyleagh, of Maeve Chadwick, a woman who was well-known in show jumping and eventing and bred the odd thoroughbred as well.

Her involvement in the horse world began when she lived outside Malahide in north Co Dublin and continued as she moved home – first to Toye in Co Down, then on to Coldingham on Scotland’s southeast coastline and, finally, to Kirkland Road, Killyleagh.

A celebration of Maeve’s life was held in Saintfield on Thursday and a full appreciation will appear in these pages next week.

Amateurs back competing in North

AMATEUR athletes can return to competition in Northern Ireland from Monday, May 24th. Underage athletes were allowed to return last month. Meanwhile, in the south, amateur and underage athletes are prohibited from competition until June 7th. Horse Sport Ireland is seeking allowances for youth and amateurs to participate at two flagship events over the bank holiday weekend (June 3rd-7th).

Castle Irvine cancelled

THE Northern region of Eventing Ireland were forced to cancel the one-day event due to be held at Castle Irvine, Necarne, today due to the effect on the ground of the very heavy rainfall in the area over the past few days.