A LOT has changed in the life of Candice Reusch since she moved from South Africa to Ireland in 2016.

Married to Ronan Murphy, a younger brother of Olympic event rider Joseph and his Mullingar racehorse trainer twin Ciaran, Candice had only one equestrian interest when living in her native country and that was show jumping.

On her arrival in Ireland, she rode racehorses for the first time – she worked for four years at Gordon Elliott’s Cullentra House Stables and would probably still be there if Longwood wasn’t such a drive from her home in Loughnavalley – has eight Connemaras to produce and, having earned her Green Cert, is now rearing small numbers of calves. She also has two ex-racehorses to compete, both British-bred graduates of Cullentra House.

“Gordon was very good in getting me Tiger Twenty Two, who won at Tubberbride on Sunday (see page 94), while Busty (Ian) Amond (assistant trainer) helped me get Flawless Escape,” revealed Candice. “I’ve been getting a lot of advice from Charlie Walshe and Dot Love, who are both just fantastic; they know so much and are so helpful.

“I’m going to finish the starter series – it’s as easy for me to head west as anywhere else – and then my next target will be the novice racehorse class at the Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan (April 26th to 28th),” said Candice who recommends riding out seven or eight racehorses a day to keep fit and who finished third on the Elliott-trained Chosen Mate in the 2019 Up The Yard Challenge Race for stable staff at Punchestown.

She didn’t mention qualifying for the racehorse class at Dublin or the Treo Eile showing pathway series but will, no doubt, be well guided by Charlie and Dot. She did say, however, that she hopes to go eventing in the autumn.