AT just 11 years old, Gracie Kelly has achieved more than what many pony riders would dare to dream of – four ponies and a horse qualified for the Dublin Horse Show. The feat is even more remarkable given she does not have horsey parents, with her mother Melissa admitting they are ‘learning as we go’.

From Duncormick in Wexford, Gracie’s pony adventures began very early on with her mum recalling a lead rein outing while she was still in a nappy on a pony introduced to the family by her grandad after her older brother, Jack, now 17, began to show an interest.