By Sue Phillips
Samuel McAteer, the leading producer of show horses has died, aged 81, following a brave battle with illness. Sam passed away peacefully at home on the farm in Northern Ireland, where he had lived his whole life.
Sam had such an eye for a horse and there was no one quite like him for the ability to spot a diamond in the rough and turn it into a champion. His record at Dublin and Balmoral was testament to that; he won his first Dublin championship in 1998. In those days the horses were ridden by Sam’s wife Sheelagh; a home-produced team.
In 2000, having won two heavyweight hunter classes, stood reserve in the heavyweight championship and won a cob class and championship, Sam and Sheelagh were awarded the Perpetual Challenge trophy for the exhibitor winning the most classes in any year.
They won the heavyweight hunter championship at Dublin 2002; in total, Sam won seven Dublin cob championships and several times stood champion and reserve at both Balmoral and Dublin.
Although Sam bred event and sport horse types, it is probably for sourcing cobs that he is best known.
In 2015 Randalstown Musketeer, ridden by Vicky Hesford, was cob of the year at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), one of numerous cobs from Sam who have featured in the HOYS line-up.
Sam’s last cob entry at Dublin was Randalstown Rigsby, who stood cob champion in 2023 ridden by Lesley Webb, who rode for Sam in the latter years. It was fitting that on the day of Sam’s funeral, Polly Coles with Randalstown Cromwell won the cob title at Cheshire County. Sam would have been delighted.
Our love and condolences go to Sheelagh and Sam’s family. Sam will live on in our memories and with many Randalstown horses still doing him proud.
