Jessica Harrington on Irish TV.

Jessica Harrington to feature on Irish TV

One of Ireland’s leading dual purpose horse trainers is the subject of Eamonn Mallie Meets on IRISH TV next week as Jessica Harrington recounts her spell-binding journey through event riding to becoming a winning horse trainer of notable names ranging from Oh So Grumpy to Moscow Flyer, associated with jockey Barry Geraghty.

Despite having endured life events of a tragic nature, host Eamonn Mallie enjoys a warm discussion with Mrs Harrington as they meander through the various themes of event-riding and horse training to surviving tragedy and the importance of family.

“Jessica talks liberally about the horse-racing industry and around her own personal journey, emerging from being an eventer originally before getting selected for two Olympics,' he says.

“We move on to discussing the business of training horses and buying horses, around which she is very modest, talking in terms of buying within her own budget and clearly stating she is not rich – but rather that she has to buy within her budget unlike others in the industry who can buy what they want.

“Of course we also discuss Moscow Flyer – the horse she bought for 17,000 guineas that went on to become one of the greatest horses of all times – before touching on her first horse – Oh So Grumpy – which brought her great success in Galway.

“It is simply a very pleasant interview - she is so relaxed and uninhibited as an interviewee and is clearly very comfortable in her skin. She has known tragedy in her life, having lost her brother in a tragic farm accident and then losing her husband, Johnny, to cancer but she oozes a very positive attitude.'

Jessia is a member of the Fowler family of Rahinstown in Rathmolyon, sister of trainer John Fowler who died in a tree-felling accident.

“It is a lovely narrative by a very relaxed lady who is very much at peace with herself and her life now where she has her two daughters in the business with her and it is all working out very well,' Eamonn Mallie says.

Eamonn Mallie Meets with guest Jessica Harrington is on IRISH TV Monday April 25th at 8pm.