ARMAGH’s Declan Cullen has done a huge amount of work in organising next Wednesday’s Horseware Event Riders Challenge Race and hopefully will be able to enjoy the entire evening at Dundalk Stadium.

As he is riding in the race himself, the first thing Declan had to do was lose a few pounds and this he has managed to achieve, although failing to stick to his diet entirely throughout the period. “I’m down to just under 11st 7lbs and I haven’t been that light since I played mid field for Collegeland (GAA) when we won two Armagh county titles!

“I never really had an interest in racing but, through work, I have come to know a lot of the trainers around the country,” related the Pegus Horse Feeds equine feed and brand consultant. “For the past month or so, I have been riding out for James Lambe three days a week and I hope to get a spin around Dundalk on Sunday (tomorrow) as I didn’t manage to do that over the past couple of weekends.”

Declan, who was named by race rival and Irish eventing team manager Sally Corscadden on the Horizon 2020 squad, hopes to represent Ireland on the Nations’ Cup team at Houghton in May with Seavaghan Ash.

The combination finished fourth in the advanced class at the national championships in Tattersalls last September after which they were ninth in the CIC3* at Ballindenisk and members of the Irish team which placed fourth in the Nations’ Cup at Boekelo.

Cullen hopes to have a second mount at Houghton in new ride Grand Marnier, a dun Trakehner stallion who was campaigned last season by Ross O’Hare. “That’s the plan anyway but his main target for the summer will be the CIC* for six-year-olds at Millstreet in August.”

The aforementioned Seavaghan Ash is a nine-year-old skewbald gelding by Glenhill Gold, the world’s first coloured stallion to win a three-star event when he and Cullen landed the CCI3* at Ballindenisk in September 2011; last month, ‘Tonto’ was awarded elite stallion status by CHAPS UK.

Glenhill Gold returned to eventing last season, competing at EI100 Junior level last season with Katy O’Hare in the saddle. This term, the now 19-year-old will have a new partner in Caitie Slater who is coming out of ponies.

O’Hare’s father Pat, the Newry bookmaker, will be sponsoring the turn-out prize for Wednesday’s Challenge Race.