Horses were always a big part of life for us growing up in west Limerick. Joan was a Limerick Pony Club member and enjoyed all activities, including summer camp and Sunday gymkhanas. Her pony was often shared with different friends to give them a go at show jumping and even family days out revolved around horses, like heading to the Dublin Horse Show and the tradition of going to Limerick races on St Stephen’s Day.

My own family were steeped in horses until emigration took the Ruttle boys abroad, except my grandfather Willie, who found work at the Stoneville Estate in Rathkeale. There he spent 49 years making and breaking horses for Major Massey and his son Hugh. Willie was a true horseman and loved his work. A genius with a scissors, brush and hand clipper, his turnout was always impeccable. He once brought a horse into his kitchen to finish getting him ready in better light for a neighbour who was going to the fair early the following morning.

Film star

My dad Mike rode ponies and won a jumping class at Limerick Show in 1960. The following Sunday, walking home from mass, he met a horsebox and with a sinking feeling ran home to find his pony’s stable door open. His pony was sold. He never had a pony like her again.

Dad knew his pony was bought by parents of Kilmallock solicitor, Robin Lee. More than 50 years later, I met Robin and enquired as to where the pony went, only to discover that Ardmore Studios had bought her, where she was forever immortalised in the film Finian’s Rainbow. Of course the DVD had to be bought and the family gathered to play the film for Dad and watch his delighted reaction at seeing his beloved pony starring beside Hollywood actors, Fred Astaire, Tommy Steele and Petula Clark.

My granddad introduced me to all things equestrian as his retirement from work coincided with my early years. Wearing his uniform of the day – flat cap and black wellies – he always had my pony well schooled.

John Shorten of Lakeview Stud, where the famous Stan The Man stood, along with Patrick Johnson of Rathkeale and the O’Donovans ran local gymkhanas. I picked up poles and worked alongside course builder, Ian Doyle of Charleville Show, wheeling out the distance around courses.

Annual outing

Newcastlewest Show was an annual outing and I’ve vivid memories of Ann Leonard and Lisa McCormack on young horses, en route to greater things. Limerick Show marked the end of the summer holidays but autumn hunting quickly started in earnest.

A visit to relatives and friends on the way home from a day out was obligatory – cups of tea, plenty of cake, sandwiches and a chat in front of the open hearth. Questions as to the real height of Tommy Wade’s little Dundrum were often posed. I’d sit and listen as news from England was relayed from uncle Bob, who was a flat jockey there from 1930 until 1950. The pinnacle of his career came in 1940 when he won the Victoria Cup at Hurst Park on Jock Whitney’s Time Step. Gordon Richards, a 27-time champion jockey and the only flat jockey to ever have been knighted, was beaten into second place that day.

The story of cousin Jack Ruttle of Adare, who trained at Hazelhatch Stud near Celbridge and saddled Workman, the 1939 Aintree Grand National winner was often retold. The 100/1 chance was ridden by Tim Hyde and owned by Sir Alexander Maguire of Maguire & Patterson fame.

Idyllic

So you could say Joan and I both had idyllic childhoods. There was a pony in the front field long before children came along. Carol started off in lead rein classes, then first ridden and 133cm show hunters, under the instruction of Lorna Twomey, Belinda Johnson and now, Lucy Cusack. Nathan has followed shortly behind. As a family, we’ve travelled every highway and byway of Ireland going to shows since 2010. The highlight each year is Dublin Horse Show. It was always a dream of Grandad to have a horse or pony in the Dublin Horse Show, but it was never realised.

Dublin Horse Show is different to any other show in Ireland. The first year, we ‘got the gate’ as Carol’s pony Treowen Miss Muffet just did not like all the fuss.

RDS success came in 2016 when Nathan won the show hunter lead rein class with Treowen Ranger.

Then two years later, we were back up as Carol competed on Horse and Jockey Clasper in the 133cm working hunter pony class. He was eight then but Carol had him since he was a four-year-old. Great celebrations after jumping a clear round over a stiff track were surpassed that afternoon when he was crowned reserve champion working hunter pony. Journeys home from Dublin, with ‘The Rattlin’ Bog’ and ‘The Fields of Athenry’ ringing out are always memorable, but especially those two years. Granddad would be so happy to see the interest that he nurtured all those years ago coming to fruition.

Precious time

Carol is now 15 and concentrating on young ponies. She saved her money and bought herself a lovely coloured four-year-old show hunter for this year. Nathan competes at starter stakes level and really enjoys jumping.

It is not at all about winning for us, we really value the time we spend ‘on tour’ with Carol and Nathan. It’s the planning, setting targets, and making friends along the way too.

Newmarket-on-Fergus kicks off another show season on the May bank holiday weekend, the Irish Pony Society website is then checked weekly to see where classes are for the following weeks, routes are planned and departure times agreed. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes – it’s not just turning up on a Sunday!

Carol and Nathan have friends all over Ireland and social media is handy to keep in touch. They are also members of Limerick Pony Club and they compete at minimus, show jumping and Pony Club eventing. This all adds up to busy weekends.

The years are going by too fast, the clock keeps ticking. We’re getting ready to start the family days out all over again when the Ruttles will be back on tour!

Liam Ruttle was in conversation with Susan Finnerty.