The Scott family from Barnfield House, just outside Ballina, Co Mayo, are steeped in equestrian history and have a longstanding connection to the Dublin Horse Show.
Philippa and Christopher Scott work closely alongside their father Philip to produce and sell show horses. They have a small team of horses and have recently branched into breeding. Their mother Deirdre was hugely influential in setting them on the path they are now on, but sadly passed away in 2015. Her passing has strengthened their determination as they continue to fulfil her legacy as well as creating their own.
Philip runs a livery yard and riding school, as well as being a renowned judge and coach. Christopher studied agricultural science in UCD and is in the process of establishing a suckler herd and Philippa works full-time in Dublin. Family support is an essential part of their operation, with Philip as the backbone, according to Philippa.
“We need dad and the wealth of knowledge that dad has,” she says, “we’re very lucky.”
Christopher and SCT Athena, a four-year-old homebred mare. \ Ramona Farrelly
Philip lights up at the mention of the Dublin Horse Show. He first competed at the show in 1970, riding his 12.2hh pony in the 13.2hh and under show jumping class. He continued to show jump ponies into his early teenage years and got his first taste of Dublin success.
“I had a very good 14.2 pony who finished,” he says, “he was fourth and fifth two years in the qualifiers and then he was third in the 14.2 championship.”
Philip went show jumping and eventing before he became more involved and focused on producing show horses. Philip and Deirdre quickly became a team and proved to be a force to be reckoned with in the show ring, with Philip recalling years when they stood side by side at the top of the line.
For Philippa and Christopher, their connection to the iconic show began as children, and in Christopher’s case he was born during horse show week and has never missed a year. They both competed in the children’s showing and working hunter classes and more recently they have competed in the Irish Draught performance, the Connemara performance and now they are beginning to compete in the ridden hunter classes.
Changing times
The Dublin Horse Show and the landscape for selling horses has changed massively in recent years. The Scott family have experienced these changes first hand. The number of horses they compete with and sell from Dublin has decreased. This is due to a number of factors: there are fewer entries into the showing class in the horse show and how horses are viewed and sold has changed. It is also partly because of how the Scotts’ operation has developed. It now makes more sense for them to have a smaller team of horses.
Speaking about the changes in the horse show, Philip says: “Oh it has changed. Back in the day, when I used to show a lot of in-hand horses for people, there used to be 40 in a class and really to win a class in those days took some winning.”
Philip and Deirdre found a market, they produced horses as four-year-olds in the show ring and generally sold them on as five-year-olds. The experience horses gained from showing meant they could continue on in almost any discipline.
Christopher, Phillipa and Philip with SCT Master of the Hounds. \ Ramona Farrelly
Phillipa and SCT Master of the Hounds. \ Ramona Farrelly
English customers would come over to the Dublin Horse Show to buy horses or they would go to a yard like the Scotts’ and view a selection of horses and buy from there. Nowadays, social media and online results mean fewer customers are travelling over to Ireland to view and buy horses.
Philip’s honest reputation, knowledge and contacts have come from his years of experience in the show ring as a rider and as a judge, and he prides himself on his reputation.
“It’s all about being honest and straight with people,” he says.
Philippa and Christopher are building on many of the contacts established by their parents. They also have their own network of contacts from their time competing ponies in both Ireland and England. Both Christopher and Philippa agree that the dynamics of selling horses has changed hugely from what they would have known growing up.
The changing times have not hindered their success; recently one of their graduates, It’s The Kings Speech, won the Middleweight Hunter Championship at Hickstead under Ian Smeeth. Success stories like this will certainly help Christopher and Philippa build on the reputation they are inheriting.
There’s a very special type of thing about [the Dublin Horse Show] and really it still is everyone’s goal every year, no matter where else you win, but to win in Dublin
Their horses are now all named with the ‘SCT’ prefix and we are likely to see a lot more of them rising through the showing ranks.
Philippa’s long-term goal centres more around breeding than riding. “We’ve started breeding a little bit. Christopher and I have three broodmares at the moment. My ideal dream would be that I can one day breed something to contend the Supreme Ridden Hunter championship in Dublin,” she explains.
HIGHLIGHTS
As a family, the Scotts have had approximately 55 Dublin Horse Show winners, 15 champions and seven reserve champions, so choosing a highlight isn’t easy. No matter how many Dublin winners you have, there is always something special about each of them, according to Philip: “There’s a very special type of thing about it and really it still is everyone’s goal every year, no matter where else you win but to win in Dublin.”
Certain years stand out for Philip, such as when he was pulled in first and looked to see where Deirdre was, she was riding one of their own horses, and she had been moved up to second. Another memorable year was when they brought six horses to the show and they all finished first or second. They are hoping this year will be lucky for them too.
Christopher’s highlight came thanks to his 13hh show hunter, who placed second in the class and then went on to stand as reserve show hunter champion. Philippa had two particularly memorable years. The first was when she was 11 when she won two classes with Newstown Peppermint.
The second was more recently: “The ridden Connemara Championship in 2015 I think it was. I was riding for our friends the Glynns, but it was a pony that we had sold to them earlier in the year. It was a pony that we bought as a foal at Clifton with mum and it was the year mum passed away so it was a very poignant win for me.”
The Scott family from Barnfield House, just outside Ballina, Co Mayo, are steeped in equestrian history and have a longstanding connection to the Dublin Horse Show.
Philippa and Christopher Scott work closely alongside their father Philip to produce and sell show horses. They have a small team of horses and have recently branched into breeding. Their mother Deirdre was hugely influential in setting them on the path they are now on, but sadly passed away in 2015. Her passing has strengthened their determination as they continue to fulfil her legacy as well as creating their own.
Philip runs a livery yard and riding school, as well as being a renowned judge and coach. Christopher studied agricultural science in UCD and is in the process of establishing a suckler herd and Philippa works full-time in Dublin. Family support is an essential part of their operation, with Philip as the backbone, according to Philippa.
“We need dad and the wealth of knowledge that dad has,” she says, “we’re very lucky.”
Christopher and SCT Athena, a four-year-old homebred mare. \ Ramona Farrelly
Philip lights up at the mention of the Dublin Horse Show. He first competed at the show in 1970, riding his 12.2hh pony in the 13.2hh and under show jumping class. He continued to show jump ponies into his early teenage years and got his first taste of Dublin success.
“I had a very good 14.2 pony who finished,” he says, “he was fourth and fifth two years in the qualifiers and then he was third in the 14.2 championship.”
Philip went show jumping and eventing before he became more involved and focused on producing show horses. Philip and Deirdre quickly became a team and proved to be a force to be reckoned with in the show ring, with Philip recalling years when they stood side by side at the top of the line.
For Philippa and Christopher, their connection to the iconic show began as children, and in Christopher’s case he was born during horse show week and has never missed a year. They both competed in the children’s showing and working hunter classes and more recently they have competed in the Irish Draught performance, the Connemara performance and now they are beginning to compete in the ridden hunter classes.
Changing times
The Dublin Horse Show and the landscape for selling horses has changed massively in recent years. The Scott family have experienced these changes first hand. The number of horses they compete with and sell from Dublin has decreased. This is due to a number of factors: there are fewer entries into the showing class in the horse show and how horses are viewed and sold has changed. It is also partly because of how the Scotts’ operation has developed. It now makes more sense for them to have a smaller team of horses.
Speaking about the changes in the horse show, Philip says: “Oh it has changed. Back in the day, when I used to show a lot of in-hand horses for people, there used to be 40 in a class and really to win a class in those days took some winning.”
Philip and Deirdre found a market, they produced horses as four-year-olds in the show ring and generally sold them on as five-year-olds. The experience horses gained from showing meant they could continue on in almost any discipline.
Christopher, Phillipa and Philip with SCT Master of the Hounds. \ Ramona Farrelly
Phillipa and SCT Master of the Hounds. \ Ramona Farrelly
English customers would come over to the Dublin Horse Show to buy horses or they would go to a yard like the Scotts’ and view a selection of horses and buy from there. Nowadays, social media and online results mean fewer customers are travelling over to Ireland to view and buy horses.
Philip’s honest reputation, knowledge and contacts have come from his years of experience in the show ring as a rider and as a judge, and he prides himself on his reputation.
“It’s all about being honest and straight with people,” he says.
Philippa and Christopher are building on many of the contacts established by their parents. They also have their own network of contacts from their time competing ponies in both Ireland and England. Both Christopher and Philippa agree that the dynamics of selling horses has changed hugely from what they would have known growing up.
The changing times have not hindered their success; recently one of their graduates, It’s The Kings Speech, won the Middleweight Hunter Championship at Hickstead under Ian Smeeth. Success stories like this will certainly help Christopher and Philippa build on the reputation they are inheriting.
There’s a very special type of thing about [the Dublin Horse Show] and really it still is everyone’s goal every year, no matter where else you win, but to win in Dublin
Their horses are now all named with the ‘SCT’ prefix and we are likely to see a lot more of them rising through the showing ranks.
Philippa’s long-term goal centres more around breeding than riding. “We’ve started breeding a little bit. Christopher and I have three broodmares at the moment. My ideal dream would be that I can one day breed something to contend the Supreme Ridden Hunter championship in Dublin,” she explains.
HIGHLIGHTS
As a family, the Scotts have had approximately 55 Dublin Horse Show winners, 15 champions and seven reserve champions, so choosing a highlight isn’t easy. No matter how many Dublin winners you have, there is always something special about each of them, according to Philip: “There’s a very special type of thing about it and really it still is everyone’s goal every year, no matter where else you win but to win in Dublin.”
Certain years stand out for Philip, such as when he was pulled in first and looked to see where Deirdre was, she was riding one of their own horses, and she had been moved up to second. Another memorable year was when they brought six horses to the show and they all finished first or second. They are hoping this year will be lucky for them too.
Christopher’s highlight came thanks to his 13hh show hunter, who placed second in the class and then went on to stand as reserve show hunter champion. Philippa had two particularly memorable years. The first was when she was 11 when she won two classes with Newstown Peppermint.
The second was more recently: “The ridden Connemara Championship in 2015 I think it was. I was riding for our friends the Glynns, but it was a pony that we had sold to them earlier in the year. It was a pony that we bought as a foal at Clifton with mum and it was the year mum passed away so it was a very poignant win for me.”
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