THE great five-star winning Irish Sport Ireland Lenamore was put down last weekend at the age of 31. Bred by Helen and Ted Walsh in Co Kildare, the grey gelding was by Sea Crest out of the thoroughbred mare Karinella (by Valiyar).

Ridden by New Zealand’s Caroline Powell, Lenamore had over 30 international starts, some 15 top 10 international finishes, 12 five-star completions and eight top 10 finishes at the highest level. His greatest achievement came in 2010 when he won the prestigious Burghley Horse Trials.

As part of Team New Zealand, Lenamore competed at both the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2012 London Olympics, where he helped the team to secure team bronze and, at the age of 19, that was to be his final international competition. Powell described him as “a little horse with an enormous heart”.

Recalling the story of Lenamore, race horse trainer Walsh said: “I bought the mare in Goffs and decided I was going to breed a couple of thoroughbred mares to Mary McCann’s stallion Sea Crest. I sent the mares up there and got four or five foals.

“At the time I thought it was a good idea. When they were yearlings, I decided to sell them. We had no young children at the time, so I sold them all. That’s how it all came about, there was nothing scientific about it and I definitely didn’t think I was going to breed a horse like Lenamore.”

The family enjoyed following the progress of the gelding and Walsh added: “He was a great horse and he performed brilliantly. He was a marvellous, sound horse.

“Eventing is strenuous to do, year in year out, and still stay sound. He had a great partner in Caroline Powell, she’s a magnificent rider.”