Throughout Monday morning’s trip to Closutton, it seemed as if Storm Barra had impatiently pre-empted its anticipated destructive arrival but no message calling off the impending activities arrived.

By 10.25am, the rain had begun to abate. Within a half-hour, the sun was shining from a clear blue sky. More than one commented on the potential influence of a little angel.

Whatever about her influence over the weather gods, Tiggy Hancock has assuredly had a major impact in the six months since her tragic death in a riding accident, aged 15.

A rising star of equestrian sport, who had already proved competitive against senior riders, having been a European Championship bronze medallist at under 16 level, the Kilkenny College pupil was a member of Horse Sport Ireland’s pony high-performance eventing team.

Keen to keep her memory alive, her friends began a variety of fundraising initiatives in her honour. Before long, it became clear to Tiggy’s parents, Jane and Frank, and sisters Eliza and Lucy, that something would have to be formalised to deal with the snowballing philanthropic yield. So Tiggy’s Trust was established, with the primary goal of generating funding for mental health services for young people, and to provide training and education for aspiring equestrians.

Awareness has grown throughout Europe, with international show jumpers and eventers sporting a yellow ribbon to honour Tiggy and promote the Trust. It had been something Tiggy herself had done religiously, having been given a yellow wrist band by a friend with cancer.

“If Tiggy would have known Marcus Ehning was wearing a yellow ribbon for her . . . oh my God,” said Jane, shaking her head at the wonder of it all.

It is heart-warming to see racing embrace Tiggy’s Trust, a reminder after a tough week from which so much good will emanate, that the sport and the vast majority of its people are inherently decent.

Willie Mullins and his crew were in the vanguard of that, as they helped to ‘Paint Closutton Yellow’, drumming up publicity ahead of a similar transformation of Cheltenham to a canary hue last Friday.

The nirvana of national hunt held the Tiggy’s Trust Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, during which all six riders sported bright yellow breeches. Thousands were raised on the day as so many flocked to Tiggy’s Tent (which was yellow, in case you doubted) and the Yellow Ribbon Tent, to celebrate Tiggy’s life and meet an array of racing personalities.

Meanwhile, awareness reached new levels with the action covered on ITV and Racing TV in Britain and Ireland, but the centrepiece of the drive is an online auction, which began on December 2 and concludes tonight at 8pm.

Lots on offer include a Mercuur horse solarium, a one-year lease of a two-berth Overlander Horsebox, a week for four in Syros, a tour of Closutton, hampers, signed silks, paintings, a stallion nomination, a fishing trip and sure to be popular, a day in which eight children will receive riding lessons on RACE Academy horses from racing royalty Ruby Walsh, Davy Russell, Barry Geraghty and Paul Carberry.

All the lots — in excess of 40 — were provided free of charge and are on the way to bringing in more than €50,000.

The Injured Jockeys Fund in Britain, led by its president AP McCoy, played a huge part in ensuring Tiggy’s Trust was at the forefront of people’s minds last Friday, and will share a significant slice of the proceeds as a result. A portion of the money will be ringfenced for Irish Injured Jockeys, too, which has Walsh as its chairman, to supplement the provision of mental health supports to riders.

Back at Closutton, the Mullins battalion working out with not just Paul Townend, Patrick Mullins, David Casey et al sporting yellow, but a number of riders who would have known Tiggy and her family, too, was some sight indeed. Indeed, Tiggy had nagged Jane constantly about being allowed to ride out for the champion trainer.

“She was on and on about it, but I kept saying no,” Jane recalled. “I mean, I knew it was inevitable eventually, but I just wanted to put it off another while.”

Sadly, Tiggy never got the opportunity but on Monday morning, she was all around us in the positivity of the mood throughout the yard, the total buy-in of Mullins and his staff, and the sea of yellow.

“Tiggy would love this,” said childhood babysitter Ann Minchin as we ambled behind Mullins, himself bedecked in jaunty yellow cap, scarf and dazzling jacket, and chatting to the Hancocks, who hadn’t far to travel from Corries.

“I always told her she would be the next Nina Carberry, and then, of course, Rachael Blackmore. Rachael is so good,” Jane enthused.

“She gets it. Tiggy loved Rachael and that’s why we asked her to be an ambassador for Festina Lente, which the Trust will also be providing funding to. They help people from more disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve their personal best through horses, horticulture and community work.”

The Hancocks are so thankful for the support that has come, both emotional and practical this year, and see the reaction of the equine world as a reflection of the beautiful person their daughter was, and how she touched people when she lived.

It is not by accident that Festina Lente is one of the charities chosen. Social inclusion is a key tenet of the Bray charity and Tiggy reflected that philosophy throughout her short but jam-packed life.

“Tiggy was just such a positive person,” Jane explained with a warm, proud smile. “She didn’t care who you were, where you came from, what your status was, what your ability was, she took people as they were and would talk to anyone. That came naturally to her and I think in a way her positivity is coming back to her now, which is really amazing.”

Clearly the tagline for Tiggy’s Trust could not be more apposite: A mighty flame follows a tiny spark.

 

To bid on a lot in the Tiggy’s Trust online auction, go to www.tiggystrust.com/auction. Bidding closes at 8pm. To make a donation, go to www.tiggystrust.com