In this week’s Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show catalogue, there is a recurring surname so familiar to the show jumping fraternity that few will bat an eyelid. For the three Butler brothers from Kells in Co Meath are a force to be reckoned with on the Irish show jumping scene.

Edward (31), Alexander (26) and Nicholas (23) are sons of well-known farrier James and Colette, whose love of the horse has been passed on to these young men.

It all began in the late ’70s at Durhamstown Castle near Navan, where Colette was working for international show jumper Tom Vance and James was the visiting farrier. Soon after their marriage they bought a farm between Kells and Athboy.

James and Colette are enthusiastic backers of their sons: “We are proud of what the boys have done. They could have gone different ways but this has helped keep them together.”

Edward

“He is good,” whispered international show jumper James Kernan as he watched Edward Butler and Cornet Son jump to place behind winner Alexander in this year’s Grand Prix at Balmoral.

Edward was the trio’s trailblazer through Meath Pony Club. By good fortune, dad James was also farrier to breeder and producer Harold McGahern of Granard.

So, early on, Harold sent horses to the Butlers, as he still does today. From him comes Edward’s star ride Rincoola Rua by the wonder stallion Diamant De Semilly. It was also through Harold that Edward got his opportunity to go abroad.

“He organised a three-week course with Eddie Macken in Paderborn, but I ended up staying in Germany for 12 years,” he says.

Edward set up his own stable there and competed up to Grand Prix level before returning home in 2012.

“It was an opportunity to do my own thing in the home place.” Along with Rincoola Rua and Jimmy Egan’s Cornet Son by Cornet Obolensky, he also has Jane and Angela Taggart’s Limmerick mare, Caugherty, and one from his girlfriend Fionnuala McAree.

Alexander

Just around the same time as Edward’s return from Germany, Alexander moved operations to his girlfriend Katie Ann Grendon’s Ladycastle Stables behind the K Club in Straffan.

He had followed Edward through Pony Club and then into the pony jumping ranks with ones like Sillogue Darkie. The Stevenson family’s Sea Dancer brought him onto a European young rider team and then he got Will Wimble by Touchdown from Harold McGahern.

“He was difficult at first, but Mum saw the potential in him and said we should keep him on,” he says. Through the bursary system he got three important training opportunities, first in KcKee Barracks, then with Cameron Hanley and finally in California with Karen Healy.

With Will Wimble he has already been on two winning Irish Nations’ Cup teams in Denmark and Finland.

He has also had outings on three Super League sides to St Gallen, Rotterdam and Hickstead, and won a consolation prize at Lanaken.

“One day I want to win a medal of some kind for Ireland,” he notes. As to cooperation with his brothers, he says: “It is a great advantage because we relate to each other very well.”

Nicholas

Coming up through the ranks is 23-year-old Nicholas.

“I felt a show jumping career was the natural way to go,” he says. Natural indeed, for he made his way onto Ireland’s European pony team with Jolly James and our 2009 junior side with the Indoctro mare Royal Lady that brought him a second placing on the final day. Through his good friend Darragh Kenny, he got a year away in Belgium with Global Champions Tour star Pieter Devos. Back home at around the same time as brother Edward, he took up his current job with show jumper Ger O’Neill in Bishop’s Lock.

“A nice job,” that gives him plenty of scope in young horses and right up to premier level.

It will be nice to have all three brothers jumping at Ballsbridge, and there in support, as always, will be mum and dad, James and Colette, “proud as always of what the lads are doing”.