This spring, Treo Eile was delighted to support the Western Region Starter Series, a dedicated Thoroughbred League designed to showcase the versatility and potential of retrained racehorses. Held across six competitive qualifiers and culminating in a thrilling final, the league attracted 23 combinations, all made up of thoroughbreds now thriving in their second careers.
The series, hosted across various venues in the western region of Ireland, aimed to provide an encouraging and competitive platform for riders bringing their thoroughbreds into new disciplines. The quality and turnout across the league clearly demonstrated the growing enthusiasm around Thoroughbred sport horse transformation.
Highlights from the Qualifiers
Qualifier 1:
🥇 Julie Spring & Mr Vincent
🥈 Aisling Donohue & Silent Picture
Qualifier 2:
🥇 Emily Murphy & Lilly Bobtail
🥈 Patricia Newman & Cry of the Dreamer
🥉 Katelyn Young & Alex D
Qualifier 3:
🥇 Emily Murphy & Lilly Bobtail
🥈 Patricia Newman & Cry of the Dreamer
🥉 Fergal O’Neill & Distant Dawn
Qualifier 4:
🥇 Katelyn Young & Alex D
🥈 Edel Whyte & Dontbegonelong
Qualifier 5:
🥇 Edel Whyte & Dontbegonelong
🥈 Julie Spring & Mr Vincent
🥉 Fergal O’Neill & Distant Dawn
Final Standings – Western Region Starter Series 2025
The final rankings crowned Patricia Newman and her outstanding thoroughbred Cry of a Dreamer as overall champions of the league, with consistently high scores throughout. Patricia and Cry Of A Dreamer are well known faces on the Treo Eile circuit, attending various clinics and Treo Eile supported events each year.
🏆 1st – Patricia Newman & Cry Of A Dreamer
🥈 2nd – Katelyn Young & Alex D
🥉 3rd – Emily Murphy & Lilly Bobtail
🏅 4th – Edel Whyte & Dontbegonelong
🎖️ 5th – Fergal O’Neill & Distant Dawn
Supporting the Transition of Thoroughbreds Beyond Racing
At Treo Eile, we are committed to supporting initiatives like the Western Region Starter Series that promote the retraining and rehoming of ex-racehorses. This series exemplifies what can be achieved when former racehorses are given the opportunity to excel in disciplines like eventing, dressage, and show jumping.
We congratulate all the competitors who took part and a huge thank you to the organisers for their dedication to creating a safe, encouraging, and professionally run league that truly celebrates the adaptability and athleticism of the Thoroughbred breed.
Stay tuned for more Thoroughbred League initiatives and training support by following Treo Eile across our platforms or visiting www.treoeile.com.
