The RDS — first hand experience of the Team Show Jumping Championships

Well, Phoenix Riding Club won the competition on the day. Audrey and Tanya enjoyed the whole event while thinking about what could have been in a small corner of their minds:

Congratulations to Benbulben RC who gave a great performance, on a scorcher of an afternoon, out in Simonscourt. They secured a very credible 3rd place with a team total of 8 faults (times must have come into the equation as there were a few other teams on 8 as well).  The atmosphere was lovely with the usual cheers, ooh’s and ah’s as the supporters got behind their clubs.  We, of course, cheered on Sligo even if that green eyed monster was sitting on our shoulders at times. But hey! we always have next year and the next and the next!

All four members from Phoenix had clear rounds and it went down to a jump off.  Compared to the qualifier at Sligo, the course seemed lovely with no real spooky fences or difficult lines.  But then that’s from ground level.

2011, here we come!

The full official report is on the AIRC website.

Changes from WordPress

Things suddenly started looking a bit different on the website today and it seems that WordPress, the software/platform on which the site runs, is undergoing some changes. We’ll give it a little bit of time to see if it settles back down to the usual look. If not, a bit of re-jigging should have us looking presentable again to the rest of the world reasonably quickly.

More on Millers Hill

Bookings are building up for Millers Hill so it’s probably time to give new members who weren’t around for the 2009 expedition an idea of what it’s all about. Finbar wrote this account last year (intended for the yearbook-that-never-was) and it illuminates the subject beautifully:

Finbar’s Millers Hill

Please make your provisional booking with Libby by 22 August so that plans can be firmed up with Robert at Millers Hill. Hopefully things should work out similarly to last year, costwise, but we can’t establish that until we have an idea of numbers. There’s no limit to the number of 2-legged visitors that can be accommodated but the number of livery spaces for 4-leggeds is limited so book sooner rather than later.

A small number of durable cobs are available to hire, if you prefer not to bring your own beast.

Pictured below: Finbar discussing his philosophy of life with Fenway at Millers Hill, 2009.

Mizzle

Is there such a word as mizzle? Yes was the answer on Friday evening when five members enjoyed a 2-hour circular ride from Ray across through the hinterland of Rathmullan and back. Soft rain mizzled down on the group but nobody paid much heed. There were two debutants on the expedition – new member Shauna on her grey connemara 4 year-old and veteran member, Orla, who enjoyed her first ever club ride-out on Martina’s Rosa. Nadine and Damien rode their His n’ Hers pair, Molly and Millie, and Libby rode Martina’s Smuggler. He was an excellent ride but needs to practice his tripodding skills as the photos illustrate.

The Aga Khan Trophy of the riding club world

As the equestrian-minded nation focusses this afternoon on the Aga Khan Trophy, finalists for the riding club equivalent on Sunday will be nervously biting their nails. The competition may not take place in the main arena at the RDS but the atmosphere will be almost as tense as nine teams battle it out for the Horseware Team Show Jumping Championship.

Benbulben represents our western region and we wish them the very best of luck. One of the team, Finola Murphy on Kildalton Jessie Delight, is a stalwart supporter of all our Donegal events. Hopefully she’ll be as successful at the RDS as she is when she raids our shows.

We have a lot of club members at the Horse Show this week so we should have no shortage of reports after the big day.

Third leg of Cloncaw 2-Phase league, 15 August

The 3rd leg of the 2 Phase Event League at Cloncaw Equestrian in Glaslough takes place on Sunday 15th August strarting at 11am approx with the Maxi class followed by Midi and Mini. The course will be open for inspection on Saturday 14th after 6pm. Each day is a stand alone competition with €100 per class in prize fund. Competitors who compete on 2 and the final (same rider horse combination) will be eligible for League prizes sponsored by Premier Saddlery Armagh.

Details of the event are posted on www.cloncaw.com and entry forms can be downloaded. Competitors making prepaid entries by Thursday will be entered in the draw for cash prizes. Entry fee Maxi and Midi €25, Mini €20. The final of the League takes place on Sunday 5th September.

Masters Series – Something for everyone at the final, 4 & 5 September

AIRC HQ have reminded us that there will be classes for all levels of riders at next month’s Connolly’s Red Mills Masters Series at Mullingar Equestrian Centre, Co. Westmeath.

Primary, Advanced Primary and Intermediate riders will have two qualifying classes on the Saturday (4th Sept) with the top 5 riders going forward to their respective final on the Sunday (5th Sept). A Mini Grand Prix competition will also take place on Sunday for each of the three grades.

Meanwhile, 50 riders have qualified for the final of the Connolly’s Red Mills Masters Series where there will be over €2,000 worth of training bursaries on offer. Qualified riders will have the choice of three classes to enter including the Welcome Stakes and the Table C on Saturday with a Power & Speed class on Sunday morning to increase their points tally in the series. The feature Grand Prix will follow in the afternoon where only the top 20 riders will challenge for the series title and a €750 training bursary.

Entries for the event close on Sunday 29th August and will only be accepted online by members accessing their membership online account. Further details on the AIRC website.

Another new face for the club

August has brought us another new member, Shauna Gailey. Shauna lives in England but spends as much time as she can at her house in Anney, north of Rathmullan, where she’s a neighbour of Francis and Maura. Shauna is originally from Carrigans and some members will recognise her by her maiden name, Shauna McFarlane. She has a great interest in Connemara ponies and her prefix, Dunmore, is known in breeding circles. We already have one of her ponies in the club – Rachel’s Dunmore Dante.

Pictured below: Dunmore Dante, bred by new member Shauna Gailey, at our camping weekend in Carrickfinn, May 2010.