MANY congratulations to event riders Brian Cournane and Jules Stiller who were married on September 1st in Brook Lodge, Co Wicklow.

Vermont native Jules has been based in England for over eight years and the couple first met in 2008 when Brian was competing over there for the Army Equitation School.

They became an item after last year’s international horse trials at Tattersalls.

Brian, who is on leave from the Army until he officially becomes a civilian in November, is competing this weekend at Blenheim Castle on the former Jonelle Price ride Aloha. That Cult Hero gelding runs in the name of Headley Stud Eventing, the Cournanes’ yard near Newbury in Berkshire where new owners are welcome.

Next weekend the pair are both riding at Ballindenisk after which Brian is heading to Boekelo. While Jules also competes in pure dressage, Brian will be targeting the show jumping scene with some recently-purchased young horses who include the Ard VDL Douglas gelding Javas Keltic Mist.

Jules’s parents and two brothers attended the wedding as did Brian’s father Tom Cournane and mother Monica Curran. Absent was his sister Fiona, but he and Jules are travelling to New Zealand next month for her nuptials.