The Turf Club and Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee are pleased to announce a number of changes to Stewards which take effect from 18th December 2013.  The appointments were approved by Members at the Summer General meeting.

Neville O’Byrne replaces Roddy Ryan as Senior Steward of the Turf Club.  A solicitor by profession, Mr. O’Byrne became a member of the Turf Club in 2007.  He has served as Chairman of the Compliance and Regulations Committee and Joint Deputy Chairman of the Referrals Committee.

He is also a member of the board of HRI and has been for a number of years a governor of the Irish European Breeders Fund Limited. He is a member of the board of Royal Bank of Canada Reinsurance Ireland Limited. He has also been involved in horse breeding for a number of years.

Ms. Meta Osborne replaces Neville O’Byrne as Deputy Senior Steward of the Turf Club.  Ms. Osborne is a qualified vet with a particular interest in broodmare reproduction.  She joined the Turf Club in 2005 and has served on its Referrals Committee, Appeals Body and also on the Curragh Committee.  She is a past President of the Irish Veterinary Association and was the first female President of the Veterinary Council of Ireland. With her husband, Dermot Cantillon, she is joint owner of Tinnakill House Stud in Co Laois, which has produced three Group 1 winners.

John Byrne replaces Ms. Meta Osborne as a steward of the Turf Club following her appointment as Deputy Senior Steward. John is a graduate of the trainee stewards’ scheme and joined the Turf Club in 2008 and has served on the Curragh Committee.  For many years he has been a breeder and owner at Ballymadun Stud.  He is involved in property development in Dublin and London and is also on the Board of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin.  

Hugh Ferguson replaces Brian Fitzsimmons as a steward of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase (INHS) Committee. Hugh is an agricultural graduate with 35 years’ experience in the chemical fertiliser industry with his main focus being on grass production and farm management. He is a long-time steward, and former council and horse committee member of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society. Hugh became a member of the INHS Committee in 2009 and has served on the Referrals Committee as well as chairing the Point-to-Point Committee.

Editor’s Note The Stewards of the Turf Club are Neville O’Byrne, Ms. Meta Osborne, John Byrne and John Tyrrell. The Stewards of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee are Michael Hickey, John Powell and Hugh Ferguson.