A HOST of racing and equestrian stars are taking part in this year’s Treo Eile Christmas Show on Thursday, December 14th, at the Emerald Equestrian Centre near Enfield on the Kildare/Meath border.

The first of five events on the show programme starts at 1pm, featuring the HRI Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classic – a team competition to showcase the very best of Ireland’s retrained racehorses.

The team competition has attracted some of racing’s brightest stars to captain the teams including Rachael Blackmore, Jack Kennedy, Gary Carroll, Patrick Mullins, Robbie Power, Rory Cleary, Katie Walsh, Davy Russell, Norman Wiliamson and Charlie Swan.

Each team captain will be joined by two show jumping or eventing competitors and a pony rider who will each ride a variety of former racehorses over a course of jumps followed by a jump-off to decide the winners of the coveted Horse Racing Ireland Perpetual Cup. Professional riders include Dublin Horse Show’s puissance winner, Commandant Geoff Curran from the Irish Army Equitation School, Olympic eventer Joseph Murphy and European medallist, Elizabeth ‘Esib’ Power, will also line-out for the team event.

Former jockey Robbie Power will be reunited with Sizing John to try and add the HRI Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classic Cup to their trophy cabinet. The pair were victorious in three Gold Cups in 2017: the Leopardstown Gold Cup, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Sizing John also features in the Moyglare Stud Parade of Champions at 5.30pm, along with Douvan, Al Boum Photo, Renneti, Faugheen, Tiger Roll, Woodland Opera, General Principle, Arvika Ligeonniere, Milliner and Briar Hill.

Then at 6pm it’s the main event - the HRI Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classi Celebrity team competition.

Tickets are €15 per person and family tickets are €40 for two adults and two children. Parking is free but limited so all spectators are asked to register online for a car parking space. Web: treoeile.com