AT the 2014 Dublin Horse Show, Countess April Merveldt was presented with a show award by the Royal Dublin Society in recognition of her long association with and distinguished contribution to the Irish pony. Her daughters, Lorli and Peetzy, recorded numerous successes at both the Spring Show and Horse Show.

April was one of the first members of the Irish Show Pony Society (now the Irish Pony Society), developing the working hunter pony section. In 1979 she was chef d’equipe and trainer to the Irish team which took part in, and won, the first European pony working hunter championship in Bavaria, Germany. Throughout the 1980s, she continued her involvement in this role, bringing the first Irish working hunter pony teams to Peterborough.