2 February 2023 - Flipbook - Page 60
60
FARMWEEK
MAY 28 2020
HORSEWEEK
A tribute to Ronnie Smith
W
3/11/1937 - 16/05/2020
ELL known Co. Tyrone horseman,
Ronnie Smith has sadly passed
away at the age of 82. By all
accounts, Ronnie was a great
horseman, a wonderful character
and a bit of a trailblazer, who will be deeply
missed by his family circle and his many
friends in the equestrian world.
Ronnie and his long time friend John
Chambers went to compete in Europe when it
wasn’t the trend. John had a large horse lorry
with kitchen and sleeping facilities, so they
made a few trips there together. John had one
of Ronnie’s mounts, ‘High Noon’, originally
buying him at the sales as a foal and bringing
him on before Ronnie took over.
One of Ronnie’s regular competitions was PUISSANCE: Ronnie Smith and ‘Onward
DOUBLE GOLD: Ronnie riding ‘Double Gold’ at
the Ecclesville Derby, which always followed Bound’ won a Puissance competition at
Ecclesville in May 1990. (FW22-503NN)
Balmoral Show and riders such as Harvey Micheroux. (FW22-509NN)
and Robert Smith and Geoff Luckett came to run. He won the
compete.
Grand Prix at the
RDS Spring Show on
‘Grey Slade’, beating
the famous Tommy
Brennan into second
place. With Grey
Slade (a half-bred)
and ‘Onward Bound’
(a Thoroughbred), he
won many classes,
including Puissance
competitions.
Then he had ‘High
Noon’, which was
by Thoroughbred
stallion ‘Colonels
Court’, out of
a Clydesdale
mare. Possibly his
riding career was
cut short due to the
fact he had a handful
of very talented
sons coming behind
him, all wanting to
PRESENTATION: The late Ronnie Smith pictured presenting the
compete - although,
rosettes on behalf of Fintona Show Society at the Ecclesville
when Eddie Macken
International Derby in 1992, alongside judges, from left, Helen Smyth,
suggested to him
Dr Alex Lyons and Eileen McGuigan. The class was sponsored by the
one day when
Kernan family. (FW22-501NN)
Ronnie was 48 years
young, “if I had that
four-year-old, which
to the TB stallions
‘W’ man: Steeped
many good jockeys
was pure Draught.
and TB mares to
in WISDOM. Full
coming behind me,
Ronnie won the
the Draught. It was
of WIT. Always at
I’d be hanging up
Balmoral Grade D/E
the same story as
WORK. And if you
my boots”, Eddie
Championship on
many have, the
ever wanted to
PORTRAIT: Ronnie Smith in his younger years. was told he was not
him, which was quite
good ones had to
know WHO, WHERE,
(FW22-508NN)
ready for that! With
an achievement for a
be sold to keep the
WHEN, WHY or
ve sons to keep
pure bred. Youngest
kettle boiling and
WHICH, then Ronnie
The following tribute was written about in horses, Ronnie
son Eric then took on the boys had to
was the man to ask.
Ronnie by family friend, Sandra Low Mitchell was then having
the ride at an early
start again! He then
Often he would say
from Fife, Scotland:
to breed plenty of
age, as the horse
took a jumping mare
“you just needed to
ADLY, after
scratch and, nally,
stock! He always
had such a good
to James Kernan’s
talk that through
a short spell
he was ready for the
had a Thoroughbred
temperament.
Olympic stallion
with yourself”.
in hospital,
Dublin Horse Show.
stallion at stud
Ronnie bred some
‘Touchdown’ and
The other ‘W’
Ireland has said
Travelling there
and then bought
very good horses,
bred ‘Desert Prince’,
might have been - a
goodbye to Ronnie
by train with the
‘Copper King’ as a
crossing Irish mares
a stallion the boys
Wee sip of Whisky! A
Smith, one of the
ponies, he competed
had good success
man who always
best horsemen
successfully - so
on in competition
had time to discuss
and characters
much so, that he
and a horse who
things, who you
in the equestrian
sold both his ponies
also left plenty of
could always learn
world. Brought up
at the show and from
jumpers. Ronnie
something from - a
until the age of seven there his career path
kept riding until
thinker from the
by his grandparents,
was laid out! Horses
very recent years
start to the very
Ronnie lived on
and farming were
- around the farm
end. Leaving behind
the home farm at
it. In his early 20s,
checking on things.
another generation
Seskinore, where
Ronnie decided that
There was not much
or two of horsemen,
he worked with his
racing looked like a
that missed him!
the Smith story
sons until the end.
bit of an adventure
An encyclopaedia
will go on, but
Ronnie’s interest in
and he took up
of knowledge, I
meanwhile may
horses was started
point to pointing
always thought
you Rest In Peace,
with the work horses
- being a trainer/
of Ronnie as the
Ronnie Smith.
used on the farm by
jockey. He trained
his grandparents.
his own horses and
His devotion at an
rode them himself
early age led to him
and each season
getting his own pony
had six to eight
and his goal was
winners in point
always to jump at the to points. His best
Dublin Horse Show.
win was perhaps
He spent hours
on ‘Gaybrook’ when
reading books about
he won The Ulster
horses and learnt as
Harp National
much as he could. By Steeplechase. Ronnie
TALENTED DUO: The talented ‘Onward Bound’ COMPETITIVE: ‘Grey Slade’, a grey gelding
the age of 15, he had
then continued with
by ‘Trullagh’, competing at Balivor Show, it is
ridden
by Ronnie Smith represented Ireland
two good ponies that show jumpers and
believed in 1977. (FW22-511NN)
abroad. (FW22-510NN)
he had started from
had another great
S
HIGH NOON: The late Ronnie Smith jumping
‘High Noon’ at the Ecclesville Derby in 1982.
This horse was previously ridden by John
Chambers and owned by Peter Johnston, who
was Chef d’Equipe of the pony European team.
(FW22-502NN)
The following article appeared
in The Irish Times in 1976:
Great Belgian win
for Ronnie Smith
by Averil Douglas
THE Northern rider, Ronnie Smith, had
his greatest international victory last
Sunday when, under most challenging
circumstances, he won the Puissance at the
close of Micheroux CSI in Belgium.
He rode Peter Johnston’s seven-year-old
gelding, ‘Onward Bound’, by ‘Fair Victor’,
out of a TB mare by ‘Vulgan’ and ‘Grey
Slade’, a grey by ‘Trullagh’, at the show.
It was his second occasion competing
abroad. He competed at Hickstead four or
ve years ago and has competed at Dublin
also, where he had wins on ‘Lough Linney’
and ‘Arlington’.
When Ronnie and Paul Darragh and
their entourage returned to their hotel, a
red carpet and champagne awaited them.
Between them they collected six prizes,
Ronnie had a rst, fourth and 10th and Paul,
a third, fourth and seventh prize.
‘Onward Bound’ was bought at the Dublin
sales and broken by Ronnie at his home
near Omagh, Co. Tyrone. He was in training
with Eddie Harty for a while and Ronnie
bought him and sold him to Peter Johnston
of Portadown, Co. Armagh. Mr Johnston
turned down offers (a very considerable
one for ‘Onward Bound’) for both horses
at Micheroux preferring, at this stage to
keep them to jump for Ireland. They leave
this weekend to compete at Zuidlaren from
December 8 to 11.
Darragh travelled from Micheroux to
Bordeaux CSI, which started yesterday and
for which James Kernan was also selected
with ‘Station Master’ and ‘Condy’.
The groom’s prize at Micheroux was won
by Sam Watson of Lisburn.
Warrenpoint club set
to get back in action
WARRENPOINT and District Riding Club will
be operating on Friday nights from June 5,
starting at 7pm.
There will be different conditions. There will
be one arena with 12 jumps at 70cm, followed
by an 85/90cm class. It will be American style,
i.e. participants jump two rounds. Organisers
may be able to extend this in time.
The classes are for schooling - no competitions
as yet - and are subject to the protocols set out
by the British Horse Society (BHS).
All activities are only open to members and
must be pre-booked - so join up if you want
to take part. Booking and membership can
be found on the Club website: http://www.
warrenpointridingclub.co.uk/.
Cost is £10 per entry; £8 each if a block of ve
are booked. If possible, please book a number
of entries in one go, so as to reduce the time.
Remember, organisers are all volunteers trying
to provide a service.
The club, as a British Horse Society afliated
club, will be operating under protocols issued by
BHS, which relate to the NI Executive Statement
of May 18, which permitted outdoor spaces and
public sport amenities to open if there were
no shared hard surfaces, for example, golf and
tennis. This includes equestrian sport. Please
note, if anyone does not follow the protocols,
they will be asked to leave and will not be
permitted to return to club activities. The
steward’s decision is nal.
