Mayo Young Sportstar Award Recognises Rising Showjumping Talent Lily Slattery
A young Irish showjumping talent is receiving well-deserved recognition after a standout year in the saddle. Lily Slattery has been named the Equestrian Award winner at the 2025 Connaught Telegraph Mayo Young Sportstars Awards, highlighting her continued rise within the national showjumping ranks.
The Knock-based rider has steadily built a reputation as one of the most promising young competitors in the country. Throughout the 2025 season, Slattery consistently delivered strong performances against riders both within her own age category and at higher levels, demonstrating maturity and technical ability well beyond her years.
A key highlight of the year came when she once again qualified for the Dublin Horse Show, Ireland’s most prestigious equestrian event, riding Captain Candyman. The horse, owned and bred by her grandfather Gabriel Slattery at Castlelawn Stud in Irishtown, has been central to Lily’s recent success and is also trained by him.
At just 15 years of age, Slattery was the youngest competitor in her young rider category, underlining the scale of her achievement in reaching the national stage.
Her progress has been building steadily in recent seasons. The Mayo native has previously secured victories in national showjumping competitions, including winning the 1.20m class at Duffy’s Equestrian Centre aboard Captain Candy Man, and has recorded multiple top-five finishes across 1.10m and 1.20m competitions.
Beyond the show ring, Slattery balances school life with the demands of training and competing at a high level and continues to pursue her passion for showjumping while representing her county on the national circuit.
Her achievements will be formally celebrated at the Mayo Young Sportstars Awards gala ceremony, which takes place at Breaffy House Resort in Castlebar on March 13, where the county’s most promising young athletes will be honoured for their performances across 2025.
For Slattery, the award marks another milestone in what is already shaping up to be a very promising career. With strong family support, a talented horse beneath her, and a growing list of results across national competitions, the young Mayo rider continues to show that she is a name to watch in Irish showjumping.
