MANY tributes have been paid by the Irish equestrian community following the passing of the highly-respected Grainne Sugars, late of Johnstown, Co Kildare, and Galway’s Riona Finn Naughton last weekend.

A HSI press release this week described Grainne Sugars, who passed away last Sunday, as a pillar of the equestrian community. Beginning as a rider, Grainne represented Ireland on the junior eventing team and following this on Irish endurance teams in the 1990s. Throughout her life, Grainne was heavily involved with the British Horse Society, Horse Sport Ireland and affiliates, as well as AIRE.