SPRING is truly here and the country’s fields are full of welcome new life. Also enjoying a new lease of life are Ireland’s sport horse breeders and Irish-bred horses, enjoying a terrific run of top-drawer form on the ultra-competitive world stage.

Irish sport horses have absolutely shone this season with major five-star wins and top placings in the USA. With international show jumping brought to a standstill by the EHV-1 outbreak in Europe, the world’s top combinations flocked to Wellington and Thermal California this season where Irish riders and horses repeatedly proved their mettle against the very best out there.