I'm from just outside Belfast in Antrim and always grew up with horses. My father rode for a long time, and my grandfather rode as well and trained. The moment I looked out the bedroom window, there was always a yard full of horses. When my grandfather retired from training, my dad, JJ, took over. He trained a few point-to-pointers on his own just to keep himself busy. I started riding the racehorses out at home when I was about nine or 10 and then started pony racing when I was 11. I went down to the late Edward O'Grady's for a summer when I was about 14.