MY grandfather, Bernard McLoughlin, and his brother, Jimmy, bred horses in Rathowen, Co. Westmeath. The horse gene must have skipped a generation, as my father, Kevin, and uncles didn’t inherit it! My great-grandfather, Jack Collum, bred horses in North Longford, not far from Ballinalee, this is where my mother, Eileen, got her love for horses.

Growing up, I was a member of the Westmeath Pony Club and competed in show jumping, eventing and triathlon. I hunted with the Longford Harriers from a young age, alongside my mother, and show jumped up to regional Grand Prix level (1.35m/1.40m).