DOUBLE Olympic gold medal winner Nick Skelton brought a group of 20 friends for three days this week to celebrate his 60th birthday at the Dunraven Arms Hotel in Adare. He won team gold at the London Olympics in 2012 and individual gold at Rio last year. He competed at seven Olympic Games.

Nick was joined by his partner Laura Kraut, also an Olympic gold medal winner for the USA at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Guests included Captain Mark Phillips, an Olympic gold medal winner for Britain in three-day eventing at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and William and Pippa Funnell. William won a gold medal winner for Britain in show jumping at the European Championships in 2013, while Pippa has two silver and a bronze Olympic medals. Joining their father also were leading National Hunt trainer Dan and his brother Harry, one of the top National Hunt jockeys in Britain. During the trip, the party also visited Coolmore Stud.