FORMER Irish army Commanding Officer and show jumper Col Billy Ringrose (89) sadly passed away on Wednesday at Belmont House Care Home in Dublin. One of Ireland’s most successful show jumping riders of the 1950-1960s, he was a member of the first mixed Army-civilian Irish team to win the Aga Khan trophy in 1963 alongside Diana Conolly-Carew, Seamus Hayes and Tommy Wade, and was also on the 1967 winning team once.

He is also the only rider to have won the Grand Prix event at all four shows on the American tour: Washington DC, Harrisburg Pennsylvania, Madison Square Garden in New York and the Toronto Winter Fair.

Later, Ringrose became Commanding Officer of the Army Equitation School at the McKee Barracks and chef d’equipe of the Irish team. He managed the famous team of Paul Darragh, James Kernan, Eddie Macken and Capt. Con Power who won the Aga Khan in 1978 and completed the three in-a-row in 1979.

Former President of the Equestrian Federation of Ireland, Lord Patrick Conolly-Carew said: “Col. Billy Ringrose will long be remembered as a great Irish Olympic and international rider having ridden with great success in over 50 Nations Cups for Ireland. A former Commanding Officer of the Army Equitation School and much respected former President of the RDS, Billy Ringrose is a sad loss to both his family and Ireland.”

RDS president

Ringrose joined the committee of the RDS in 1976 and, as well as serving as chairman of the equestrian committee and main arena director at the Dublin Horse Show, he also served a term as president of the RDS from 1998-2001. During that time he had the pleasure of presenting the Aga Khan trophy to the winning Irish team in 2000, managed by his former teammate, Tommy Wade.

Billy’s son Fergal published a memoir of his father’s life and equestrian career in 2017 and speaking at the launch, Billy’s good friend, Col Ned Campion, described him as a shining light. “The outstanding thing about Bill Ringrose is the fact that he never lost sight of the mission that was originally given in the army. And his devotion to duty was exemplary in every sense,” said Campion.

Billy is predeceased by his wife Joan, his sons Paul and John and his brother Ronald. He will be deeply missed by his son Fergal, daughters-in-law Charlie (Bateman) and Lucy (Freeman), grandson Conor, siblings Clare, Des and Dolores, nephews, nieces, extended family and many friends.

His private funeral Mass takes place today (Saturday) in accordance with Government directives. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at a later date.

Sad passing of Liz Edgar

THERE was shock last weekend following the death of former British show jumper and British Showjumping Board Director Liz Edgar following a short battle with cancer, just three days before her 77th birthday. Representing Great Britain on numerous teams, she won the Queen Elizabeth Cup five times, a record which still remains unbeaten. Liz Edgar was also the first woman to win the five-star Aachen Grand Prix in 1980 and was on the winning British team at the 1985 Dublin Horse Show.

The younger sister of David Broome CBE, Liz was married to the late rider Ted Edgar and they had one daughter, Marie. Of his sister, Broome said: “One of my greatest memories was when we cantered round the ring together as brother and sister having won the King and Queens Cup at Wembley.”