Golden ticket for the blacksmith turned wordsmith

For anyone who lives in a burrow and hasn’t yet heard of Damien and Nadine’s unbelievable good luck, here’s the official happy story from Gain:

Gain Horse Feeds, the official Irish Animal Health and Nutrition Partner of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, has announced the winner of their Super Prize Competition where the top prize was flights, tickets and accommodation to the Alltech Games in Kentucky. The winner, Mr. Damien Gallagher, a farrier from Co. Donegal, was one of the thousands of people who entered the competition.

Customers were invited to fill out entry forms accompanied by a “golden ticket” that was affixed to thousands of Gain Horse Feeds bags over the past number of months and with in excess of 5,000 entries, the response from equestrian enthusiasts was astounding.

With the feed producer providing hundreds of prizes to give away in the competition, many entrants did not go away empty-handed. However, after an exhaustive trawl through the thousands of tie-breaker slogans people submitted, the judges agreed that Damien’s entry best summed up the objectives and achievements that go hand in hand with Alltech and Gain Horse Feeds products. Damien wrote:

“The best thing about Gain Horse Feed is empty feeding pots, happy healthy horses and red rosettes!”

As a farrier, Damien’s appreciation for the needs of the horses he shoes goes well beyond hoof care. Likewise, the partnership of Alltech and Gain Feeds embodies a dedication to providing the very best products to meet the needs of horse enthusiasts and their animals the world over. For his winning entry, Damien will receive a pair of tickets to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games along with flights and hotel accommodation. When notified of his win, Damian commented “I am delighted to have won this great prize, it is a trip of a lifetime and I am really looking forward to going on it. Thank you very much to Gain Horse Feeds and Alltech!”

We’re all thrilled for you, Damien and Nadine. Enjoy the planning and anticipation for the next few weeks and then have the trip of a lifetime. Well deserved! For everybody else, bask in reflected glory and enjoy the Alltech FEI Games website.

Pictured below: Damien in the spotlight with Phillip Gilligan and Joanne Hurley of Gain Feeds and Fergal McAdam of Alltech.

Hunting celebration in Ballymacad country

The Ballymacads, one of the country’s most venerable old hunts, is running a hunting extravaganza in Westmeath on Sunday 12 September.

The highlight will be the Best Hunting Horse Competition, sectioned Lightweight, Middleweight and Small Horse with a very generous prizefund of €1000 per section. The horses will be judged on conformation, ability and suitability to the job at hand. Horses will be required to jump a course of hunt type fences including a blind bank, electric tape and gate. Judges to include international showjumper Alexander Butler, well known horse producer and breeder Norman Allen, Rory Gilsenan, accomplished producer of top class working hunters in the UK, and Huntsman Kevin Donohue who is the fourth generation Donohue to hunt the Ballymacad Hounds. These judges will ride horses selected in the top placings of their respective classes.

The supporting card includes a hunt chase, a cross jump, and a whole lot more.

Ballymacad Hunting Extravaganza Schedule · Download

Annual ‘End of Summer Show’ at Deanes, Sunday 22 August

The AIRC’s big event this weekend is the National Dressage Championships but, since it takes place in Tipperary, it’s hardly surprising that none of our members are competing. A more local alternative is Deane’s End of Summer Show in Bruckless where you can try your hand and hooves at dressage, show jumping and cross country.

Full details from Deane’s website.

Benbulben RC Cross Jump, Sunday 29 August

Benbulben Riding Club are running a cross jump competition at the Annaghmore Estate, a few miles south of Collooney, on Sunday 29 August. It’s run in conjunction with Sligo Hunt Pony Club so it’s a great opportunity for riding club and pony club members to compete at the same venue on the same day. When it last took place in 2008, it was a great success.

You need to pre-enter by Wednesday 23 August but you can pay on the day.

Benbulben RC Cross Jump Schedule 2010 · Download
What’s a cross jump? See our competition glossary.

Pictured below: Nadine and Libby preparing for the pairs class on Molly & Molly; Mary Gallagher, Orla, Molly, Harvey and the picnic basket, Benbulben RC Cross Jump, 2008.

Flatwork lessons with Jackie McPherson

It’s almost like back-to-school time at the riding club with a series of lessons beginning this Friday at Harley’s arena in Trentagh. Jackie McPherson will instruct us in flatwork for three consecutive weeks. Please book as early as possible (and by Wednesday at the latest) to help Martina get groups and times organised. Contact her on 085 103 3242.

Entries open for National Horse Trials (ODE) Championships

The AIRC National Horse Trials Championships take place at Annaharvey Farm, Tullamore, on Sunday 12 September. Last year three of our members competed in the event. Nadine had qualified for the championship class while Libby and Sharon O’Donnell rode in the national classes.

This year none of our members have qualified for the championship classes but this doesn’t prevent members from competing in the national classes.

Postal entries must be pre-entered and pre-paid by Monday 30th August and must be made through the club secretary. Online entries will open on Monday 30th August and will close on Sunday 5th September.

Full details are on the AIRC website.

Another new member from Rathmullan area

Annette Gallagher from Elly, deep in our treasure hunt landscape just north of Rathmullan, has joined the club. She’s a Primary rider and she’s lucky enough to have two young horses being broken by Peter Smyth at present — an Irish Draught and a sport horse.

Upcoming Friday activity

It’s a while since we’ve had any instruction on Fridays but there’s plenty coming up over the next month. Francis isn’t able to run his safe towing talk/demo this Friday so instead we’ll have a jumping lesson at Glenleary to keep everybody out of trouble. The emphasis of the class will be on riding a good line and developing a suitable canter rhythm. Groups of three or four will be arranged on the basis of rider and horse experience/ability.

Contact Orla to book on 087 643 2458.

From Friday 20 onwards, we’ll have a series of three flatwork lessons instructed by Jackie McPherson, followed by a dressage test with Mary Devine on 10 September. These activities take place at Harley’s arena in Trentagh.

Contact Martina to book on 085 103 3242.