AS the new year commenced, John Alexander, of Church View Farm Stud, lost his bravely fought battle against motor neurone disease at his family home near Ballymena.

John and Sharyn would have celebrated 44 years of marriage this year. Following their honeymoon spent at the Dublin Horse Show, they got their first horse in 1972, a 15.3hh show jumping mare Hunters Melody, which he covered with a stallion called Brilliant Pill, standing with the late Marshall Wilson of Cullycapple Stud.