THE equestrian community in Northern Ireland, and further afield, were shocked and profoundly saddened when they learned of the death last Saturday of Co Down show pony rider Ellie McDonnell.

The 16-year-old from Portaferry had fought hard with courage and determination to recover from the very serious injuries she had suffered when the quad she was riding was in collision with a jeep driven by her mother on a lane leading to the family home last July.

This writer first heard of Ellie at one of the North Down point-to-points when the late Marie Simpson said I should keep an eye out for “a wee girl from Portaferry who is a very good rider.” We then saw her top line-ups at such major venues as Balmoral and Dublin and learned of her successes at the British Show Pony Society championships at Grantham, the Royal Highland Show and at the Show Of The North in England among others. She competed at the Horse of the Year Show on three occasions.

Multiple wins

We call to mind Ellie’s many class and championship wins on the wonderful first ridden pony Brynoffa Jonquil (aka Tiffy) and then the equally successful show hunter pony, Goldengrove Sunrise (‘Sunny’). Goldengrove Special Edition, Linksbury Popstar and Sonny Bill Williams also collected their share of rosettes and sashes under the talented Ellie as did the Shetland, Barns Rosanna.

The Air Ambulance service rushed Ellie from The Half Hill farm to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast following her accident and, on her road to recovery, she promoted any activity being held in aid of the service. In February, she herself undertook a 5k Twilight Walk which raised £27,584 for the Air Ambulance Northern Ireland. Just two days before her death, she spent hours filming with an Air Ambulance crew.

Ellie’s funeral took place on Thursday when her white coffin was carried down the lane from the family home to the stables. From there to St Patrick’s Church in Portaferry, the funeral cortege was headed by five ponies bearing some of Ellie’s most treasured sashes – Derrygimbla Atlantic Storm (Jodie Creighton), Linksbury Popstar (Megan Dumigan), Safie (Charlene Leebody), Tribute (Holly Logan) and Folly (Lucy Logan).

On arrival at St Patrick’s for a 12 noon service, the cortege was greeted by more of Ellie’s equestrian friends, who, on foot, were dressed in their showing attire, while there was also a guard of honour comprising her fellow pupils at Down High School, Downpatrick.

The Irish Field extends deepest sympathy to Ellie’s devastated parents, Mary and Peter, and to her beloved brother Max.

MMcL