SUZANNE Macken was on official duties as head of the Ground Jury at the Morocco Royal Tour in Rabat, which hosted the Nations Cup where Ireland had no luck. It’s home from home for Suzanne, who speaks French fluently, having been brought up in Rabat for many years where her parents lived for a time.

Also in Morocco was freelance journalist Ruth Loney, who spoke to French lady rider Ines Joly from Deauville, a former nurse, who won the CSI4* Tetouan World Cup. Ines graduated from university in nursing and then decided to take time off. “I did study for four years in France and I practised a bit after I graduated, but then I found myself in front of an impossible situation and I had to choose… I wanted to give myself a chance in horses for one year. But then I stayed for more than one year!”

A great fan of the Dublin Horse Show, Ines said: “I would love to come to Dublin, but you will have to help me because it is very difficult to enter there.”

Ines beat Saudi Arabia’s Khaled Almobty and Spacecake into second place. Spacecake was formerly owned by Tilly Shaw from Dublin and produced by Britain’s Ellen Whitaker. Tilly Shaw and her parents, who live in Dublin, were watching the action online. “I was ecstatic to watch Spacecake almost win the WC. I felt as if I was riding the round myself with her and Khaled. She’s been our best and first winning horse to date that we have produced and owned and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Watch out for an interview with Britain’s Skye Higgin in the paper soon.