Photo of the month

Top, event rider James O’Haire aboard Shamad, and above, NH jockey Davy Russell on Barberton

ON DECEMBER 16, Treo Eile, Ireland’s new thoroughbred retraining project and featured last June in the welfare issue of International Thoroughbred, staged its inaugural team Thoroughbred Classic Showjumping event at Jag Equestrian centre, Naas in County Kildare.

Ten teams of four took part, each team featuring a jockey (Flat or NH, past or present), an event rider, a young rider and a child on a pony. The adult team members all rode ex-racehorses so showcasing the abilities and versatility of the thoroughbred.

The ex-racehorses ranged from some who had not achieved too much in their first careers on the racecourse – for instance, Barberton (Johannesburg), Russell’s mount in the photo above, ran six times without placing – to such stars as Woodland Opera, who won twice at Grade 2 level over fences, finished second in the JNwine.com Champion Chase (G1) and achieved a career-best BHA rating of 154.

The evening also included two other jumping competitions, as well as a parade of past racehorse champions, including such stars as Douvan, Faugheen, Black Apalachi and Supasundae.

.The evening was deemed a huge success – the winning team was The Seabiscuits, captained by Katie Walsh, who rode Elusive Specimen (Elusive Pimpernel) with team members the event rider Sarah Wardell on Whydah (Black Sam Bellamy), young ride;

Cliodhna Brennan on Road To Emmaus (Sir Prancealot) and Lucy McCarthy, who rode pony Little Field Clover.

Caoimhe Doherty, who alongside Sarah Sands founded the developing organisation, said: “Treo Eile began life last year simply as a website, a one-stop shop for people who needed to know more about rehoming a racehorse. The need for this information, and much more besides, led us to quickly develop and expand on our three main aims – to connect, support and promote.

“So far, €15,000 has been spent in sponsorship across 20 different events, including cash prizes for the top-performing thoroughbred at the Dressage Ireland and Eventing Ireland National Championships, showing classes, polo tournaments and Derby jumping prizes.

“No less than 150 ex-racehorses are now registered with Treo Eile and living satisfying lives. Some are companions and leisure horses, others are climbing the competitive ranks of Irish eventing and dressage.”

Of the idea behind the Thoroughbred Classic, Sands added: “After watching some incredible results through the season for ex-racers on the eventing circuit, we were looking for an appropriate end to the year for Treo Eile and selected this Pro-Celebrity format which really caught the imagination.

“We had a super turnout from jockeys and eventers, including two Olympian riders, to put us on a really firm footing. We aim to build it into an annual showcase of the versatility of the ex-racehorse.”