Small world

IT’s a small world, and an even smaller one when it comes to horses. Everyone knows that the Dublin Horse Show forms an annual holiday for thousands of equestrians, and none more so than well-known Galway exhibitor Amory McMahon. While enjoying the week off work as a dental nurse in Loughrea, she was thrilled to bump into Laura Kinsella who had been so kind to her while she was in the care of the Mater Hospital in the spring.

Last April Amory suffered a serious fall in a freak accident from her maxi cob Kingshill Cherry. At the time things looked bleak with three broken vertebrae in her back and she spent time in the Mater Hospital undergoing surgery to have them fused before being allowed home to recuperate.

“They (the doctors) wanted to send me back to Limerick, but it was Laura who suggested I’d be better off at home,” Amory said. “I have a lot to thank her for.” It was only by chance that they met at the RDS last week when Laura recognised her former patient. “It was rather emotional meeting her,” she added.

Amory is made of tough stuff and was back to work in seven weeks. Ten weeks post-operation she was back in the saddle for Ballivor Show where she landed the hunter championship with Woodfieldfarm Baloo.

Last week the combination was third in their middleweight hunter division and also competed in the ladies’ side saddle.

“He has been such a servant to me and has multiple wins under his belt.” Amory and her mother Kate purchased both ‘Baloo’ and his half-brother Woodfield Bonus from their breeder Rosemary Connors, and Rosemary enjoyed a lap of honour on ‘Bonus’ on Saturday morning when standing reserve lightweight hunter champion.

Amory is still working hard to be ready for the hunting season with the Galway Blazers and has regular physio treatment with John Butler who is also physio to dozens of jockeys around the country.

Winners alright

SHOWING duo Jane Bradbury and her long-time owner Daphne Tierney have quite the winning record at the Dublin Horse Show and it continued at pace last week.

On Saturday morning Jane secured her third supreme hunter title in 12 years with Bloomfield Watergate, adding to those with Bloomfield Ollie (2011) and Bloomfield Excelsior in 2014 for their then-owner Daphne Tierney.

Remarkably all three were four-year-olds and had won their age classes before going on to stand supreme.

On Saturday Daphne won her second as a breeder (having also bred Bloomfield Ollie), but the owners’ accolade on this occasion went to Wexford native Dr Brendan Furlong who flew in from the States to see the smart bay take three laps of honour for the lightweight, four-year-old and supreme titles.

Last year Daphne decided to sell his dam Ballyconnery Bloomfield and the lucky purchaser was George Chapman who also picked up Watergate’s two-year-old full-brother and yearling half-brother by Jack The Robin. The mare is now hopefully in foal to Jackadello.

Incidentally Michael Lyons showed Ballyconnery Bloomfield at the RDS in 2018 when she was carrying Bloomfield Watergate. “Ah I knew she was carrying a future winner.” he joked.

New kitchen, or not

LAST year after an accident Rufina Mullen was feeling sorry for herself and decided she needed a new kitchen. That was until Nicola Perrin told her she had a smashing young horse she might be interested in. That youngster turned out to be the 2023 hunter mare champion Ballarin For Joy.

“I was going to buy a new kitchen but my daughter Ciara and I thought the money would be better spent on a new horse. Sure who needs a new kitchen anyway.” Rufina laughed.