First and foremost, it looks as if the weather is going to play ball for our activities this weekend. Getting the course at Lenamore ready on Saturday is almost as big an event as the actual crossjump on Sunday. A crew of club members will clip, clear, saw, hammer, strim, hack, paint and polish the cross country and show jumping courses for our biggest annual competition.
Our inaugural crossjump took place in October 2008, the brainchild of Marina following a chance conversation she had with Geraldine Graham at the Horse Show. The weather on the day before the event will last long in the memory. Soaked to the skin and frozen solid, we slopped around in standing water battering the semi-derelict course into some kind of presentable shape. It took great faith in the Met Office to hold firm and not cancel the event. But the forecast was right and Sunday arrived clear and bright. We received crucial support from the other two Donegal clubs and, amazingly, attracted two visitors from the very extremes of the western region (Serena Finnerty from Castlecarraig RC in Ennis and Cathriona Goaley from Springmount RC in Galway).
In 2009, with the luxury of foresight, we nailed a date in late July and Geraldine Graham again generously allowed us use the venue. The appallingly wet summer meant that almost every cross country event in the country was cancelled but Lenamore’s fast-draining land allowed us proceed with safe, competitive ground conditions. Another year’s work on the course saw it looking spruce, attractive and professional. The event attracted more support and was again a great success. Kevin Clogher made the long trip from Dalysgrove RC in Galway to stake his claim as our furthest-travelled competitor.
This year we’ve already had inquiries from clubs in Monaghan and Leitrim. Hopefully these will turn into real entries on the day and we’ll see some new faces and new competition.
Pictured below: Memories from 2009
Letterkenny Riding Club 