A PICTURE tells a 1,000 words and that’s certainly true of this great image by INPHO’s Morgan Treacy, which made the final of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland (PPAI) annual awards, featured on RTE’s Late Late Show recently.

Morgan’s picture also made the final of The Irish Times Sports Pictures of the Year but there is a whole story behind it.

Festival

Brian Purcell, MD of Big Picture Communications, charged with the photoshoot launch of Tattersalls International Horse Trials, explained to Pony Tales how it all came about.

“I was at Punchestown Festival last year and had bought a big bushy silver fox fur tail from a furrier before racing to use as a drag lure for my greyhounds at home. “Later at the racecourse, I was having a drink with Joanne Quirke, Tattersalls International event co-ordinator and flat jockey Gary Carroll. Joanne asked what I was planning for the launch photoshoot for the event. I am constantly dreaming up and thinking of different novel ways for PR pictures for my clients and I always thought a pic of a lurcher and a horse jumping a fence at the same time would look amazing. Gary said: “I have a whippet, would he do?”

“Over another few drinks the plan was hatched. On the day, Joanne Quirke got local event rider Joanne Byrne from Fairyhouse and her horse Master Peace as one half of the PR stunt and Gary Carroll’s brindle whippet Sam. In order to get Sam to jump the fence, we had to have Gary tease Sam with the silver fox fur tail and then he had to take off and jump the fence himself in order for Sam to follow him over! The sequence was Gary had to jump the fence, Jennifer on Master Peace then had to start her approach and just at the right time, I had to release Sam so he jumped the fence with the horse at the same time.

“Morgan Treacy from INPHO Photography took amazing pics on the day to provide the final piece of the PR jigsaw. Morgan is well used to all my ideas and we’ve had great success in the past having landed many front page cover pictures for the national print media for both Tattersalls and the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse,” said Brian who is already planning this year’s shoot.