THE stunning trophy and medal collection belonging to the late Irish show jumping legend Iris Kellett will be auctioned in Dublin next Wednesday, July 19th.

The lots comprise Kellett’s cups, trophies and medallions, including the medal she received in 1969 when jumping for Ireland in the Nations Cup at the RDS Dublin Horse Show, the same year she won the Ladies European Championships aboard Morning Light, are up for sale.

The only child born to Harry and Dora Kellett, Iris was the celebrity of Irish show jumping for over 20 years. Her first appearance in equestrian competition was at the age of nine, when she won ‘Best Girl Rider’ at the 1935 Dublin Horse Show and from then on she was a regular at the fixture.

With her great horse Rusty, Kellett was a member of the first all civilian Irish Nations Cup team in 1947, and won the Princess Elizabeth Cup for the European Ladies Championship, at White City in 1949 and 1951.

After her famous win in 1969, she retired from international competition to devote herself to teaching, training and breeding horses. In 1972 she sold the family riding school on Mespil Road and moved to Kill in Co Kildare.

TRAINING

It was there she went on to train some of the greatest names in Irish show jumping, including Eddie Macken, Paul Darragh and Jack Doyle. She passed away on March 11th, 2011, at the age of 85.

Other accolades among the collection up for auction include the silver medal she won with Rusty at the 1948 Dublin Horse Show, and the Merville Perpetual Challenge Cup.

The collection, which is all guided between the price of €400-€900, can be viewed at O’Reilly’s Auction Rooms tomorrow (Sunday) between 12pm and 4pm, Tuesday (11am-5pm) and the morning of the auction (10am-12.30pm).

The auction will commence at 1pm next Wednesday, July 19th, in O’Reilly’s Auction Rooms on Francis Street, Dublin 8.