Straight From The Horse's Mouth: Kathryn Smiley

Hello and welcome to the 28th Straight from the Horse’s Mouth podcast on Horse and Field.

With the show season not too far away, my latest chat was with Kathryn Smiley, a former Irish Pony Society Northern Area member and pony rider herself, who is now on the other side of things as chairperson of the Northern Area!

I had a great conversation with Kathryn about her equine roots, how she got into ponies as a child, with great support from her dad, while her mum was instrumental in encouraging her academic success.

“The man who owes us nothing,” says Kathryn of ‘Copleylane Ringo’. Qualified for HOYS now seven times consecutively, four-time winner of the Royal Highland Show. “We owe him a lot for making a name for us and allowing us to reach such incredible heights on the showing circuit.”

Kathryn told me about some of the ponies she has had from her first pony, Silver to her first Connemara, Rocky Cashel - a four-year-old stallion she got at the age of 16; from the amazing jumper Newmarket Alloy to the Dales pony, Copleylane Ringo, who has now been to HOYS seven times - placing third last year at the age of 17!

Kathryn on her first pony, ‘Silver Birch’.

The first horse that started a lifelong friendship and working partnership for Kathryn with Gillian and Jodie Creighton, ‘Newmarket Alloy’. He qualified for HOYS three times with Kathryn and Jodie in the Intermediate working hunter and for the RDS in the Show jumping section.

Kathryn did her A-levels and started off doing paediatric nursing, but had a change of heart, which led to her taking some time out and starting a dog grooming business. She then went to Stranmillis College and studied to be a primary school teacher - a career that she now enjoys part-time alongside her dog grooming, so she has the best of both worlds!

The Smileys first-ever Connemara, ‘Rocky Cashel’. Bred and purchased from Eamon Burke, following their successes with him, he sparked a huge passion in this breed, in which the girls now mainly focus on to this day.

Kathryn is a dedicated hockey player and, sport-wise, she now focuses on that and leaves the riding side of things to her sister, Charlotte.

Sister, Charlotte, and Kathryn, pictured at the Royal Highland Show with Copleylane Ringo.

Kathryn is still very much involved in the training and grooming of their ponies and now invests time and energy into the IPS Northern Area, wishing to give something back to the organisation that both she and Charlotte got so much benefit from over their years riding ponies.

Kathryn and ‘Carnsdale Iron Lady’, 153 Show Hunter Pony competing at Staffordshire Show in 2013. She qualified for HOYS this year.

Kathryn also spoke of the IPS Northern Area Spring Show, being held at Knockagh View on Saturday, April 5. It is open to both members and non-members, so it’s a great opportunity to go along and see what it’s all about!

‘Lenamore Mojo’, the pony that introduced Kathryn to Working Hunter and the Showing world. Together they won the 143cm Festival Class at Northern Ireland Festival, 2009.

I hope you enjoy our chat!

Stay tuned for the next Straight From the Horse’s Mouth podcast on Horse & Field.

Kathryn getting a first taste of major showing success; qualifying ‘Keizershoek Fons’ for Olympia in 2010.

Kathryn’s first Dublin win as an owner: ‘Cregduff Ranger’, ridden by her sister, Charlotte.

Following successes on the show jumping circuit with ‘Newmarket Alloy’ and Jodie Creighton, Kathryn has continued to source and produce young sport horses, alongside Gillian and Jodie. The next sport horse she continued this passion with was ‘Loughmourne Cruise Control’, he won loose jumping finals and went on to be sold to America.