THE Grooms Group, set up in May this year by Kathy McMullan with the aim of supporting Irish grooms, has gone from strength to strength and crowned it’s very first Groom of the Year last week by public vote.

The winner was Niamh Mitchell (née Quinn), groom (and sister-in-law) to Claremorris show jumper Shane Goggins, and a keen amateur show jumper herself. Niamh received a prize of €600 in cash, sponsored by Hughes Horse Stud, Anonymous, Edward Little and Ethan Ahearne, plus a £100 TRI voucher, sponsored by Irish Equine Rehabilitation and Fitness Centre.

Niamh received 155 votes from almost 700 votes counted. Delighted, she commented: “To say I am over the moon at winning groom of the year is an understatement. Thanks so much for every single person who voted for me.

“You voting for me means the world to me. I was up against tough competition. Well done to all the other grooms that were nominated for this fantastic award.

“The biggest thank you goes to Kathy McMullan for organising the grooms group. It’s so lovely us grooms are getting recognised for our hard work, without you none of this would be possible. A massive thank you to the sponsors, and lastly, a big thank you to my boss, Shane Goggins.”

2025 membership to The Grooms Group is now open and costs £20 for the year. There are two categories – the professional groom and the hobby groom, where your main source of income does not come from grooming. Members receive discounts on products from the likes of TRI and Tailored Equestrian and great prizes throughout the year.

The group has awarded grooms with close to €5,000 in prizes since it was formed, including €1,100 at the recent Cavan Winter Festival.