Three more local shows for your diesel-saving diary

Dates for three non-AIRC show jumping events are now set in stone — welcome additions to the local calendar at a time when the cost of travelling is prohibitive.

On our own turf, Mary Finneran and the crew at Glenleary are planning their second annual summer show on Sunday 26 June in Ramelton. The programme is likely to follow last year’s pattern with a variety of show jumping and dressage classes for adults and juniors. Contact Mary Finneran on 086 170 2357 for further details.

Packie Ferry and Tommy McGinley are running their infamous show jumping day in Falcarragh on Sunday 17 July with the coveted Perpetual Cup up for grabs at 90cm. More details later.

Earlier in the calendar, Stephen Greene and his cronies will be running another show jumping show in Annagry at the time of the Annagry Festival on Sunday 29 May. Anyone can enter the competiton. Junior classes will start with Welcome Stakes, beginning at 11am. Senior classes, starting at 60cm, will follow in the afternoon. Contact Stephen on 087 285 5689 for further details.

Ride-out this Friday near Ramelton

Erica will lead a ride-out this Friday evening leaving from Dawn and Laura Howard’s house close to Ramelton. Meeting time is 7pm. The route covers approximately 5 miles of quiet roads, grassy lanes and forestry. For anyone who’s been in the club for a few years, it’s over the same countryside as Tony McCaul’s ride-outs that Francis arranged in the past.

If you plan to go, contact Erica on 083 370 9333.
Directions for Erica’s Ride-Out

Looking forward to Tattersalls International Horse Trials

The forthcoming international horse trials at Tattersalls were in the limelight on Monday when the event was officially launched (isn’t it amazing how our events thrive without being “launched”?). This really is a top class competition and remember that Orla has a contact who she hopes will take interested members on a course walk of the daunting cross country phase.

Read about the launch of the event on the Horse Sport Ireland website, visit the Tattersalls site for detailed event information, and contact Orla on 087 643 2458 if you’re interested in the opportunity to walk the cross country course.

Introducing our prize pig…

Suzanne had barely taken her eye off the trailer after unloading Jack at the weekend when the prize for our raffle appeared on the front ramp…

Mick and Suzanne are generously donating a side of free range, happy-pig pork as the premium prize for the raffle at our Spring League Show on Sunday. Hopefully Mr or Mrs Pig will raise lots of funds for the club and provide some lucky soul with a supply of the tastiest pork in the country (and that’s coming from someone who’s worked her way happily through half a freezer’s worth of gastronomic experience!).

Pictured below: Our fundraising pig looking relaxed and happy (aka tender and tasty) at the weekend.

Weather forecasts likely to cause wrinkles

Damien and Nadine obviously have a gift for reading the future — how wise were they to book Eglinton for our Spring Show this coming Sunday? The weather looks far from promising but the indoor facilities at the venue will ensure that we have a great day in spite of any rain. (The dressage riders might need to bring a change of breeches but that’s a minor inconvenience.)

The picture is looking equally gloomy for our camping trip to Carrickfinn the following weekend, but there’s plenty of time for the weather systems to mutate over 12 days. The picture was similarly pessimistic 12 months ago but photos of the expedition in last year’s Gallery prove that things worked out for the best.

Keep an eye on how things develop at both locations:
AccuWeather | Derry
AccuWeather | Burtonport

An odd shower does nothing to dampen enjoyment of the weekend’s activities

A spectacular thunderous downpour at 6pm on Friday raised a question mark over the weekend’s activities but, as usual, fortune favoured the brave. Everybody who decided to carry on regardless enjoyed hours of beautiful sunshine and stunning spring light, whatever their activity of choice.

Orla designed a really enjoyable course for Friday’s clear round jumping in Milford. Using only verticals, the 7 fences were arranged to create a course of 11 obstacles, including two doubles, a couple of challenging but safe turns, a dogleg, and plenty of other interest to keep the mind focused.

It was nice to see Jack out making his 2011 riding club debut. Audrey has been putting in all the work on him in the background with daily hacking while Tanya takes over in the arena. Nadine, still nursing Molly back to health, made the most of Tommy’s absence on the evening and had a turn on Damien’s pocket hero, Armstrong. The partnership which really seemed on song was Paddy and Lizzie. Although Lizzie isn’t fully fit, she had a spring in her heels and looks ready for Paddy’s debut at Intermediate level at our Spring Show next weekend.

Thanks to Annette for organising the evening and taking some really good photos, and to Orla for building another great course.

There are no reports in yet of any of our members having attended the Dressage Ireland show at Deanes. The Cuffe lorry was spotted fueling at Moorefield on Sunday morning so perhaps Liz and the girls have discovered a new passion for the discipline?

Most of the Sunday traffic was headed either for Baronscourt or the racing at Manorcunningham. Rachel’s North West League mount, Bruce, proved that show jumping lays the ideal groundwork for the racecourse when he delivered a big win on his first outing of the season.

Meanwhile, at Baronscourt, Marina and her daughter Jade rode the 11 mile circuit with Libby, travelling through magical scenery by lakes and through bluebell-covered woodland flanked by rhododendrons and deciduous azaleas in full bloom. John and Sharon were out ahead of them and were joined for a time by six deer who had nothing better to do on their Sunday afternoon than admire the ILDRA riders.

Pictured below: Warming up for clear round jumping on Friday evening (more pictures in the Gallery); Marina and daughter Jade on Jenny and Monty amongst the bluebells on the Baronscourt Estate, on Sunday.

Jumping, dressage and endurance riding on the menu this weekend

Tomorrow evening sees the return of clear round jumping in Milford, providing everybody the chance to get back into the swing of jumping coloured poles in advance of our Spring League Show at Eglinton on 15 May. Please let Annette know on 086 157 1259, if you plan to go along.

On Sunday there are two very different activities to choose from. Deanes are holding one of their Dressage Ireland shows, giving dressage enthusiasts a rare opportunity to ride a registered dressage test within the county borders.

Just across the border in County Tyrone, ILDRA, the Irish Long Distance Riding Association, are holding their annual endurance ride at the beautiful Baronscourt estate. Several members are planning to participate and it should be a great event that you can do at your own pace, choosing your preferred length of route.

Pictured below: Liz, Martina and Libby in clear round jumping action, April 2010; Rachel and friends enjoy the ILDRA ride-out at Baronscourt, June 2010.