Ballypatrick auction

GREG Broderick’s Ballypatrick Stables is hosting its first online auction on December 28th. The renowned stable has produced multiple five-star horses and now, the team have selected 21 top quality lots for sale via online auction. The auction included eight foals, six three-year-olds, four four-year-olds, two five-year-olds and a six-year-old. “Top breeding lines have been selected by our family over the years for our breeding programme. We are constantly trying to improve year on year and adding winning genetics. These breeding lines have been carefully managed and we are proud to offer some of our best foals and young horses for this year’s Ballypatrick online auction,” a press release said. To view the auction visit www.ballypatrickauctions.com.

Pony measuring date

THE only Irish FEI pony measuring session for 2023 will take place on Wednesday January 25th and Thursday January 26th at Cavan Equestrian Centre. All pony owners who have a pony that they wish to compete in FEI pony competitions, across any discipline, in 2023 must have an FEI Pony Measurement. The closing date for entries is December 21st.

If a pony has not competed internationally or had an FEI measurement before they must be measured before being eligible to compete in 2023. Ponies who have received an FEI interim measurement, shown by a silver sticker on the pony’s passport, will need to be measured again to be deemed eligible for international competition. Any ponies who currently have an interim measuring certificate for 2022 will not be eligible to compete after December 31st 2022 unless they are remeasured. An online registration portal is now open and can be found on Cavan Equestrian Centre’s website at https://www.cavanequestrian.com/secure/feiform.php. Further details available on www.horsesportireland.ie.

Christmas Eve edition

THE next edition of The Irish Field will be in shops on Christmas Eve, Saturday December 24th. The paper will include all the entries for Christmas racing, as well as the start of the 2022 ‘Reviews of the year’ and much more. The Irish Field will also have a new edition on sale on New Year’s Eve.

Micklem TEDx Talk

WILLIAM Micklem’s recent TEDx Talk in Tralee has over 110,000 views on YouTube after just three weeks. The equestrian coach, educator, author and creator of the ‘Micklem bridle’ gave a talk titled The GO! Rules: How to run your own race and thrive in sport and life. You can view the talk 17-minute talk by searching the title on YouTube.

New members of RDS equestrian committee

DRESSAGE Ireland Vice-Chairperson Ronan Murphy was one of three successful candidates elected to the RDS Equestrian Committee. Murphy was CEO of Horse Sport Ireland from 2017 to 2020 and he is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Hockey Ireland. The other candidates elected to the Equestrian Committee were Dr Antonia Lehane and Ms Eve Parnell. Lt Col Tom Freyne and Flor Madden were elected to the Agricultural Section of the RDS Council. Retired farmer, agricultural journalist and former Deputy Leader of Seanad Éireann, John Dardis, is the new RDS President. Certified accountant, Adjunct Professor at Trinity College Dublin and National Concert Hall board member Hilary Hough is the new RDS Vice-President.