In addition to potential racehorses, until the 1970s, the early lots at Ballsbridge were often non-thoroughbreds and, during Dublin Horse Show week, they would occupy a complete day’s trading.
Mister Softee was bred by J.J. Darcy in County Clare and, having changed hands more than once, came to Ballsbridge where his potential was spotted at the Go!s August Sales by John Massarella. Massarella’s family owned the franchise in Yorkshire for America’s soft ice cream which is how the horse got his name. Throughout the 1960s Mister Softee thrilled audiences around Europe. He won a Gold at the European Championships in 1962 with David Barker, but it was his partnership with David Broome that amassed the most successes.
Winning the King George V Gold Cup and the British Jumping Derby in 1966, they also won consecutive Dublin Grand Prix titles in 1967 and 1968, as well as individual Gold at the 1967 and 1969 European Championships. Mister Softee also won individual Bronze at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games, performed on many British winning Nations’ Cup teams and, on trips back to Ireland, he appropriately twice won the Grand Prix where the journey had started, in Ballsbridge.
Mister Softee and David Broome
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