NOT since 1995 when Eagle Lion and Custom Made won Badminton and Kentucky CCI**** has such an Irish-bred double been repeated. That is until this year, when Paulank Brockagh and Bay My Hero, bred in neighbouring counties by Paula Cullen and Bryan Maguire, put the Irish Sport Horse firmly back on the international stage.

Cullen grew up in Blackrock, where she progressed from ‘owning’ a pony, used by her father’s uncle to bring milk to Hughes’ Dairy, to a course of riding lessons provided by her aunt Pauline Taylor.