Con Power© Photo Healy Racing
The death has occurred of renowned showjumper Capt. Con Power who was also a successful racehorse trainer and father of top jump jockey Robbie Power.
He was part of the Irish showjumping team that won the Aga Khan Cup three years in a row (1977-79) at the RDS, a feat achieved on three different horses — Coolronan, Castlepark and Rockbarton.
Power (71), who hailed from Wexford before making his home in County Meath, was also successful at many international shows around this time both in Europe and the USA.
Toby Tobias and Another Plano were among the notable horses he later trained, while his son Robbie and daughter Elizabeth have both excelled in the saddle.
Robbie’s impressive list of big race wins include the 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup aboard Sizing John, while he also won Grand Nationals at both Aintree and Fairyhouse on Silver Birch and Our Duke respectively.
Elizabeth has enjoyed great success both in eventing and showjumping including at the RDS arena, while his wife Mags also evented and competed at Badminton Horse Trials.
Jessica Harrington, who represented Ireland as a three-day eventer at World Championships and Olympic Games, had a long association with Capt. Power and led the tributes saying, “Con was a great help to me when I was eventing. He was a fantastic teacher and a fantastic person. It’s very sad.
“When I was eventing, he helped me with my showjumping. He was my showjumping teacher.
“He was a fantastic rider, and he could see a stride just like Robbie.
“Con could see a stride from one end of the RDS arena to the other. He had that style of riding — a long rein, a long leg. He was a fantastic rider and a really good teacher.
“He was in that era with Eddie Macken, Paul Darragh and James Kernan. They were magical.”
Her link with the Power family continued through Robbie as they shared many big days including with the aforementioned Sizing John and Our Duke.
Irish Horse Board Chairman Tiernan Gill said, “Capt. Con Power really was one of Ireland's true horsemen, with sporting achievements in so many different aspects of the industry - coaching, racing, eventing and showjumping.
“To be part of the famous three-in-a-row Aga Khan winning team on three different Irish-bred horses, demonstrates the phenomenal talent that he had with different types of horses.
“Winning a puissance competition before riding on a winning Nations Cup team at the same (Aachen, 1979) show on the same horse is something that will probably never be repeated.
“Our deepest condolences to the Power family and all of Con’s many friends around Ireland and internationally. He will be sadly missed by all, and his legacy will live on."
May he rest in peace.
