IF Santa could leave any horse under your Christmas tree this year, who would you wish for and why? That was the question we asked for The Irish Field Christmas Wish List Competition. Nessa O’Sullivan brought a tear to the team’s eye when wished for her homebred mare, Shan.

Merry Christmas Nessa, from the whole team at The Irish Field.

“Shan (Playschool), my homebred mare who was a dream horse of a lifetime, giving me so much fun show jumping, and later a taste of eventing. She was a little 15.3hh by Kildalton King out of a Tula Rocket mare and her much larger full brother, Wexford Pimpernel, went on to great working hunter success with Ashleigh Gault-Murphy. When I retired her from jumping, Shan gave me wonderful foals. I have retained her granddaughter to keep my bloodlines and am riding her beautiful grandson, Forth Funtime, who is also like his granny, a sweet kind horse who is giving me such pleasure. I’d love to see that sweet little chesnut face greeting me on Christmas morning. She left me after 29 wonderful years and the space in my heart for her is always there.”