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I was born in Ashbourne, Co Meath. My father George worked for my uncle, the great C A Rogers and between them they sourced, broke and produced most of Dorothy Paget’s horses.
There was always a horse and a greyhound at home and following my uncle’s passing in 1970 my father trained and raced both.
We had some very good dogs, Tory Snowball, Dennis Auburn and Bilbo Baggins. The fastest greyhound I ever saw was Master Myles at Abbeyfeale.
My father was a very good judge of a horse too and when he was approached to buy a show horse good enough to win in Dublin, he purchased a two-year-old by Darantus, out of Our Joy.
Nesta Fitzgerald exhibited him and won the Laidlaw Cup.
Seeing him coming out that day for the parade gave me all the passion and pride that only happens in Ballsbridge.
When I started taking photographs, the first IR£1,000 I earned went on buying a thoroughbred mare named Lady Nightingale.
In 1971 she won at Galway and was third in the Moyglare Stakes. Dad was so proud – it was the last time he went racing before he died.
Boomerang and Macken
Nothing will ever replace the passion of the big ring in Dublin.
I was fortunate to photograph many of the top jumpers and each one had their own special memory.
Photographing Boomerang and Eddie Macken gave me all the highs that money can’t buy – he was everything dreams were made of – but also Bellevue,
Heather Honey and Rockbarton and I must also mention the late Diana Gilna on Ferrans Grace.
Taking racing photos has also given me some wonderful moments.
Above all has to be Aintree and Cheltenham. Red Rum and Aldaniti winning the Grand National were very special. Dawn Run, Height Of Fashion and Lady Nightingale were my favourite racing mares.
Photography
Peter Sweetman taught me how to take photographs and above all how to print, I followed Colman Doyle from the Irish Press and Dermot Barry from the Irish Times at race meetings and they gave me wonderful advice.
They said there is a peak in every photograph, look for that peak and if you think you got it put it under the editor’s nose.
Try this for six months and you will soon find out if you are a photographer or not. Thankfully, to this day I am still enjoying taking photos.
I left the camera down for six years when I served on the Irish Greyhound Board under Pascal Taggart.
I was chair of Galway Greyhound Stadium and oversaw the refurbishment of the present day facilities.
Before joining the board, I worked with Connolly’s Red Mills as their PRO for approximately four years.
I was then appointed to the board by Jimmy Deenihan, who has become a great friend ever since we met when I was covering Croke Park for the Kerryman.
I usually rushed back to the Irish Press darkroom and then hoofed it to the train with the prints which Jimmy kindly delivered the following morning.
For me, Croker had pride and passion like no other, especially Tyrone vs Kerry.
On the news side, the fireball at the Leeson Street convent was probably the highlight of my life behind a camera.
My advice to young photographers is to study your subject and do not get bogged down in technology.
Connemara ponies
I was dispatched to Clifden by the Irish Field in 1975 where I photographed the champion Rambling Home, owned by Padraic Hynes.
Not knowing very much about how big the show was, there was no option but to sleep in the car as there wasn’t a bed to be had.
I returned to Clifden again in 2005 and I’m indebted to all the owners and breeders in Connemara who made me so welcome in their homes and let me photograph their ponies.
Over the past 12 years I have covered shows all over the country and what a pleasure it has been.
I have produced two stallion publications and the Connemara Pony Review, along with a series of Connie profiles.
Pictured at At Roundstone Show, (l-r) Paddy McDonagh, Liz Sugar, former Taoiseach Enda Kenny Ruth Rogers and Ado Kenny.
Perhaps I should say that four Connemara mares that stand out as the most beautiful.
They were Irishtown Beauty in the hills at Ballyconneely; Castle Urchin, the undisputed queen of Clifden for her presence and type; Grange Agnes, a truly traditional dun mare, owned by Lady Maria Levinge and Banks Vanilla, for her presence and perfect conformation.
Standout stallions
In the stallion department Currachmore Cashel and Janus were a shot above the rest.
Around 2006, while driving in Ballyconneely at show time, I came across Kevin Bolger walking on the beach with Silver Shadow.
That was a photograph one could never forget – sheer beauty!
I am currently the PRO for the Midlands Connemara Pony Breeders group and we are looking forward to our show on 29 July.
I also look forward to doing my rounds of the Connie shows this season. Hopefully I will have the health to take photographs for many years to come.
Ruth Rogers was in conversation with Susan Finnerty.
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