SIX decades of outstanding dedication to equestrian sport was honoured at Monday’s Irish Horse World Awards in the K Club when Michael Slavin was presented with a special recognition award for his contribution to the sport horse industry.

The 87-year-old from Tara in Co Meath was described in his intro as the “veritable father of Irish show jumping” and has a voice that is known far and wide for his equestrian commentary. His career has spanned over 60 years and he is still a weekly contributor to the Irish Farmers Journal.

Slavin received a standing ovation when he collected the award at Monday’s lunch and although he almost didn’t make it to Kildare due to other commitments and icy road conditions, he was delighted to receive the recognition.

“I’ve been at this ‘do’ for a long time now and I think it’s the first time in 35 years that I had so many things going on that I said I can’t make it this year. Then I started getting phone calls in the middle of the nights and everything,” he said.

“I blame part of it on Alison Corbally over there because she put me under some pressure for some work for the breeding magazine, so you can blame some of what happened today on that. She put me under so much pressure that I forgot to put my teeth in,” he added, to a great laugh from the floor.

Asked by MC Brendan McArdle what was his greatest memory of his 60-year long career, he said: “I think travelling with the team in the 70s and into the 80s, I think that was a magic time. We are having another magic time now, but that was a magic time that will never be forgotten, that was a high point.”

Pressed on whether he would ever fully retire from journalism, Slavin looked at Justin McCarthy, Editor of the Irish Farmers Journal, and added: “Well I hope this little gong here isn’t a half message from the Farmers Journal. You know when you get the watch, you better watch out.

“Thank you to everyone who might have thought about doing this. It’s been a joy to do what I have been doing and I’ll do it, Justin, as long as I can,” he added, before bringing down the house with a fantastic and unique rendition of The Auld Triangle.

Slavin was RTÉ Radio’s show jumping and eventing commentator for 20 years and his voice is synonymous with the main arena at the Dublin Horse Show. He has written book such as Irish Show Jumping Legends 1868-1998, The Book of Tara, and in 2010 he penned Ambassadors on Horseback, a book recounting the history of the Army Equitation School, alongside his good friend and journalist Louise Parkes.

He still runs his unique antiquarian Book Shop at the ancient Hill of Tara, where he makes his home with his wife Katie.

Double European gold medallist Harry Allen was awarded the Junior Show Jumper of the Year award and flew in from Germany to collect the trophy. Mark McAuley and Judy Reynolds were two other award winnners to make the trip from Europe to attend on the day.

Read the full report and award winners on page A56-57.