I WAS born in Dublin into a non-horsey family, but my sister brought me for a riding lesson for my seventh birthday and that was the start of a lifelong passion. A family friend lives near Calliaghstown Riding Centre, where I learnt to ride and spent most of my childhood as a yard-kid.

Myself and Samantha Fitzsimons met in Ballyteague Stables, where we both were on livery. I produced a coloured mare for Dublin Horse Show in 2012, we were unplaced, but we were both bitten by the bug.