The modern day version of the once-great Letterkenny Show takes place this Sunday, 12 June, on Michael Chance’s farm in Drumbarnett (just below Dillon’s garage to the right). Paddy and Seamus are the lynchpins of this annual SJI event and encourage any riders who are confident jumping 80cm and upwards to come out and enjoy the experience.
Full details from Paddy on 086 854 3067.
Horse Sport Ireland and An Garda Síochána’s Mounted Unit would like your help in naming their newest recruit. He’s a 4 year old Irish Draught gelding who will start his new career with the Mounted Unit this year.
See the full story on the Horse Sport Ireland website.
Not surprisingly, Mick and Suzanne’s land at Glenswilly has been saturated by the ongoing rain. Cross country training on open ground is out of the question so we’re switching to Plan B. Mary Devine will give flatwork instruction in Carrolls’ arena.
Please book with Mick on 086 828 2280, if you plan to attend.
Two of our members, Martina and Marina, are making the long journey to Stradbally this Friday for the weekend’s much-anticipated Riding Club’s Festival.
Martina is trying her hand at a variety of disciplines with her cob, Smuggler. She’ll be showing him in the Primary Performance Hunter as well as competing at Primary level in the show jumping, dressage and riding club horse classes.
Marina is concentrating on showing with her evergreen star, Teldel. She’s in the Large Riding Horse and Veteran Horse classes on Saturday and the Ex-Racehorse/TB class and Ex-Racehorse Performance class on Sunday.
Carmel Ferry, Julia O’Neill, Patricia Warren and Lawrence Smyth are representing the Donegal Gaeltachts in a wide range of classes while Mona and Charlie Vial will be flying the Tirconaill flag.
You can see all the entry details and the rest of the Festival information on the AIRC website. The weather forecast isn’t exactly encouraging but the horses will be comfortable in their on-site stables while Marina and Martina enjoy a dry roof over their heads in a hotel in Portlaoise.
The very best of luck to everybody in these final days of preparation. Fingers crossed all the horses and riders stay sound and healthy and that they get as far as Stradbally to enjoy a unique riding club experience.
Pictured below: Marina showing Teldel at the Bonagee Show, 2008 (Photo: Clive Wasson), and Martina showing Smuggler at the Donegal Gaeltacht’s August beach show in 2010.
Roisin has sent on the full results for the dressage and show jumping classes at Sunday’s damp Beach Show. She’s used all her ingenuity to piece together the disintegrated remains of the showing results sheets, so that section is now complete.
It was a good day for the club with excellent dressage wins and places at all our levels, including a mother and daughter double for Molly and Millie in the Advanced Intermediate and Intermediate classes. Letterkenny had great results in the showing classes before sweeping the board in the showing Championship. Mai behaved herself when it really mattered and took the top spot for Libby while Erica and Britney took the reserve placing.
In the Intermediate show jumping, Cormac had a near miss when just pipped by the ever-consistent Finola Murphy of Benbulben in a 5-way jump-off.
Many congratulations to everybody. Not surprisingly photos of the day are thin on the ground but the Gaeltachts have some great ones in their Gallery!
Donegal Gaeltacht Beach Show 2011 | Results
Pictured below: Mai (Somhairle Red Tiger), about to undergo a quick transformation from showing champion to show jumper (thank you, Gaeltachts, for accommodating the late appearance); Reserve champion Britney (Clonigulane Lass) and Erica pictured with Basil and Suzanne after the pair had finished first and second respectively in the Lightweight Hunter class.
If you plan to attend the regional training day on Sunday 19 June at Cloncaw Equestrian Centre in Glaslough, you must book with Orla by Friday!
Is God losing it? Unfailingly reliable in his delivery of good weather for the Beach Show up until now, he badly misjudged things this year and abandoned the Gaeltachts in their hour of need. But the show went on.
Rain pelted down relentlessly in a chilly breeze and the biggest winners on the day were those who had brought a change of clothes. The dressage and show jumping judges were safe in their warm dry cars. Course builder Tony Ennis was well equipped in his flowing poncho. The showing judge, Kevin McGuinness, wasn’t quite as lucky; less than half way through the showing schedule, his face and neck had turned an interesting shade of grey as black dye ran down in rivulets from his saturated bowler hat.
Lorries bogged slowly in the flooded sand; large riding horses became small riding horses as they sank quietly to their fetlocks in the line-up. The PA system failed. What could go wrong did go wrong but the smiles never disappeared. The Gaeltachts have never lacked character and they battled on heroically all day long. God will get it together in 12 months’ time and we’ll all return in droves for another great day at the beach.
Full results to follow and we’ll catch up on our members’ achievements in due course. For now, Nadine’s pictures say it all:
Certain events win a place in the subconscious alongside Christmas and birthdays, first communions and confirmations. The Donegal Gaeltacht’s beach show has earned its place in this calendar of annual highlights. It wouldn’t be the June bank holiday weekend without the long slow drive out to Falcarragh and the familiar thrill as the jeep crests the hill and the view of the Ballyness Bay show ground opens out below in all its unique splendour.
Get there in good time, from 10am onwards. Head through Falcarragh, out the western side, and follow the AIRC signs turning right off the main road. There’ll be a long line at the entries lorry but you’ll find that the queuing time passes quickly as you chat to friends and rivals from all the clubs in the region. Show jumping kicks off at 11, showing at 12, and dressage at 1pm. Remember to bring your AIRC card and your horse’s passport.
Pack a picnic and bring along a fold up chair. The weather isn’t going to be quite as good as it is today but it will be plenty good enough for hours of socialising at the side of the show jumping arena. Bring a fleece and a jacket and you’ll be all set for the long day.
There’s no handy tap at the beach so fill a drum or two of water for your horse and bring a haynet so that you can relax and enjoy being a spectator with a good conscience. Or if your competition schedule isn’t too hectic, take the time to explore the other side of the giant dunes and enjoy a long canter along one of the most spectacular beaches in the country.
Donegal Gaeltacht Beach Show | June 2011
AccuWeather | Burtonport
See you there!
Pictured below: The Beach Show, 2009 and 2010.
The first cut of silage has just been taken from Audrey and Cecil’s lovely big fields at Castleshanaghan. Like a needle in a haystack, a whip was spotted amongst the vast volumes of freshly mown grass sucked up by the huge machines. So, who lost a good black stick a with green and black grip and “Castle” on the business end of things? Answers to Audrey on 087 285 3687.
Pictured below: The club had two great visits to Castleshanaghan in 2010 — once at midsummer and again in early September.
The Gaeltachts have lured the sponsors of the Western Region Spring League to the seaside. Horze Ireland are having a GALAXY Sale at the beach show which will cover all clothing items, coats, jackets, tops, t-shirts, riding shirts, brushes, saddle cloths, tack, almost everything including competition wear, with discounts of up to 35% off. They have a new mobile credit card/laser machine having its first outing on the Sunday so make sure there’s some work for it in Donegal, if you need anything or just feel like some dangerous retail therapy.
Letterkenny Riding Club