Regina Bonner has invited all of us to try out her new cross country and show jumping courses this Saturday, 27 September. To launch it to the public Regina’s Deelside Stables are holding a go-as you-please. The course is open from 11am to 5pm and there will be a show jumping course as well as the cross country course. And the best news of all is IT’S FREE.
If you need any further info or directions, call Regina on 087 991 0134.
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Posted in Non-AIRC Events
Anybody who wants a bit of a warm up for Sunday’s Beach Show should make the most of Lenamore’s Training Show this Friday evening. Entry costs just €5.
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Posted in Non-AIRC Events, Show Jumping
Auriel Robinson, a marine archaeologist who runs “Seatrails” in the Sligo area, is combining her love of horses with her love of history and the sea to guide a series of Heritage on Horseback rides this summer.
In conjunction with Island View Stables in Grange, Seatrails will conduct these 4-hour rides on a series of dates from June to September. If you have a sense of adventure, love archeology and heritage and love being by the sea, you might enjoy the outing.
Full details: Heritage on Horseback
P.S. Since Auriel is Libby’s cousin, the prospect of a riding club expedition is already being explored…
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Posted in Non-AIRC Events, Ride-outs
North Coast Riding Club (a British riding club so open to juniors and adults alike) are running a dressage league for the next two Sundays, 7 and 14 April, at Eglinton. Check their website for full details.
Pre-entry is required but you may do this by telephone and pay on the day. Contact Kathy on +44 7921 836 044.
Comments Off on Dressage opportunity at Eglinton on 7 and 14 April *updated*
Posted in Dressage, Non-AIRC Events
Anne Chambers recently had a very successful day at Arvalee Riding Club’s Working Hunter show in Omagh. She and Molly qualified for the Northern Ireland finals at Cavan. Congratulations!
The league continues after Christmas with an event on Sunday 29 December. It then continues on Saturdays in the new year. Ponies are in the morning and horse classes commence from 2.30pm starting with the 55cms newcomers.
Saturday 29 December
Sunday 27 January
Sunday 24 February (NIFW)
Sunday 31 March (NIFQ) (LEAGUE FINAL)
Arvalee Riding Club would like to remind everyone that £2 from every entry goes into the prize fund for the final, and there is still time to qualify. Competitors must compete in the same class on 3 out of 5 occasions to be eligible.
For further details please contact Chris on +44 7709 199 474 or Sonya on +44 7874 350 665.
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Posted in Non-AIRC Events, Working Hunter
Geraldine Graham is opening the cross country course at Lenamore at 10am on Wednesday morning for anybody who wants to school. There will be stock on the land and you must ride with care. Contact Lenamore on 074 938 4022 for further details.
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Posted in Cross Country, Non-AIRC Events
Gary Marshall’s coaching has proved very popular over the two sessions of show jumping lessons organised by Rachael McCrossan last year. Demand for Gary’s tuition hasn’t diminished and Rachael has now announced that a further set of lessons will begin on Monday 12 March, at either Templemore or Lenamore.
The lessons cost €25 and, as non-AIRC events, are open to non-riding club members. To book, please contact Rachael straight away on 087 212 8031.
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Posted in Non-AIRC Events, Show Jumping, Tuition
The increasingly popular show hunter division of our sport will be active over the coming weeks. On Sunday 26 February Greenacres EC in Convoy host their annual Winter Hunter Show, a qualifying event for the Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan. The programme includes both working hunter and show hunter classes. Full details on their Greenacres Winter Hunter Show schedule.
A week later on Saturday 3 March, The North West Working Hunter Association are holding another of their league shows at Eglinton. For full details, check the NWWHA website.
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Posted in Non-AIRC Events, Showing, Working Hunter
Parkview Veterinary Clinic in Strabane are holding two information evenings for horse owners over the coming weeks. The first takes place on Wednesday 25 January and will deal with the subject of lameness. The second, on Wednesday 22 February, covers the topic of parasites.
The talks are open to everybody and begin at 7pm. For further information contact the clinic on 048 7138 2636.
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Posted in Health & Welfare, Non-AIRC Events, Talks & Demonstrations
For the second week in succession, the weather changed in the nick of time for our Friday evening action. What could have been a miserably wet and windy ride instead turned out to be a memorable treasure hunt in beautiful autumn light and spectacular scenery.
With just five members taking up Francis’s challenge, a quick but formal de-affiliation ceremony was conducted and the event took place as a non-AIRC activity. That allowed Maura’s brother-in-law Martin, on holidays from Wicklow, to join in the chase. He provided excellent company while he commanded Zak, the map and the clue sheet with the unflappable ease of an experienced rider.
Nadine, Damien and Sally set out first with the second team of Maura, Libby and Martin following in hot pursuit. Maura did brilliantly on a lively Hannah and must have doubled the hours in her trotting log book by the end of the evening. Fenway and Zak got a bit hot under the collar when asked to travel at a lady-like pace along one of their favourite canter lanes but settled themselves when their riders needed to earnestly ponder a puzzling clue about a portal a short distance further on.
There was so much accumulated pondering of clues that light was dwindling before the teams were two thirds of the way around the route. The hunt master pragmatically amended the course to eliminate clues 13 to 17 and everybody got back safely before dusk quickly became darkness.
Sheets were handed in and the result—a resounding victory for Team 2—was celebrated in style over a table laden with tea and scones with homemade raspberry jam and fresh cream. It was a great evening. Many, many thanks to Francis and Maura. Roll on Treasure Hunt 2012.
Pictured below: Team 2 follows the scent along roads and tracks with Lough Swilly in the background.
Comments Off on Treasure glitters in beautiful August evening light
Posted in Club Activities, Non-AIRC Events, Ride-outs, Social Life
