LAST Sunday’s ITBA Awards were live-streamed and there was reportedly plenty watching from McCarthy’s bar in Lexington, Kentucky, where they cheered Gabriel and Aisling Duignan, winners of the Wild Geese Award.

Gabriel, or Spider as he is known to many, left Leitrim in 1985 for the Bluegrass State. There he worked for Tony Ryan’s Castleton Lyons – quickly becoming manager and bringing the stallion Malibu Moon to the farm. He then founded Paramount Sales with Pat Costello and, with Ted Campion, they struck gold in the sales ring.

However, in video tributes paid by Costello, Michael Banahan, Lesley Campion, John Magnier, Adrian Regan, Dermot Ryan, Geoffrey Russell, Shannon Arvin and Archie St George, it was unanimously agreed that Spider’s best move was marrying Aisling, who is director of bloodstock at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud.

Almost 10 years ago the couple set up their own Spring Hill Farm in Kentucky.

John Magnier said: “Spider, I knew you were clever from the time you were working for Tony Ryan and did so well for him, but when you got married to Aisling that confirmed how clever you were, because I remember Aisling from the time she was a kid. She led out the mares in all kinds of weather, dressed up in rain gear so you could hardly find her. But she always stood out really, and it’s not a surprise to me that she’s reached the heights that she has.”