Ride-out at Ray, Rathmullan, Friday 6 August

Libby will lead a ride-out this Friday evening from Ray football pitch, about 3 miles south of Rathmullan. It’s traditionally the quietest Friday in the calendar with at least half our members either away at the Horse Show in the RDS or on holidays. Last year Damien and Libby hacked as a twosome, amending the planned circular route to become a one-way pilgrimmage to Rathmullan. Nadine was there to meet them with Harvey and the trailer. After loading Fenway and Molly the travellers settled back with fish and chips to watch a bit of seaside activity before heading home.

This year there’s already one person planning to do the ride so last year’s attendance record will at least be matched! The route is along lanes and tiny tarred roads with lovely views of Lough Swilly. It will take about two hours.

Further information from Libby on 086 830 1392.

Back on board

Here’s the evidence: Sharon on Ozzie, getting fit together (while Pippa snoozes unphotographed in the background). Sharon started riding again a week ago and hopes to make her riding club reappearance in time for our flatwork lessons later in August.

First reports from Sunday’s beach show

As predicted, there wasn’t a massive turn out from our club at the beach show in Falcarragh on Sunday. Five mounted soldiers flew the flag — Cyril, Catherine, Orla, Tanya and Martina. Plenty of ribbons came home with them and full results will be available later. Orla was very impressed with the feedback from the showing judge, Kevin McGuinness, who gave all competitors invaluable advice on how best to exploit their mounts for the show ring.

Pictured below: Martina and Smuggler with showing judge, Kevin McGuinness. Check the Gallery for more images.

Festival Queens?

The August bank holiday weekend is the traditional date in the calendar for hundreds of annual events, including Mary from Dungloe. Nadine and Damien spotted some familiar Gaeltacht faces parading down the street! Free entry to our next ride-out for the first correct identification of the three suspects. Answers to Nadine…


From pony club to pony racing to polocrosse, it’s a busy time of year

Any of our members whose sole allegiance is to the riding club probably wonders why attendance at events at this time of year can sometimes be low. The majority of our members have their fingers in more than one club pie and know all about the demands placed on them in the peak of summer.

The 3-day Irish Pony Club Festival finished yesterday in Mullingar, fully occupying Suzanne (DC of the East Donegal branch) and Audrey (secretary), as well as several other parent members. Tanya qualified for the combined training championship with Al so was present as a competitor at the event. Congratulations to Suzanne and Mick’s daughter Gemma who finished 5th in her combined training competition on her Connemara, Jack (Holiday Anytime).

The highlight of the pony racing calendar takes place next weekend in Dingle and Rachel will be travelling to that with the family and pony hopeful, Lucky (She’s In The Stars).

As if all of that weren’t enough, the Errigal Polocrosse Club is now fully operational and training is taking place at regular 2-week intervals. The motley collection of children and adult members—and particularly the ponies—are beginning to appear somewhat more accomplished. You can see the evidence in the club’s website gallery.

Pictured below: The Errigal Polocrosse Club in training at Cyril’s arena, Milford.

AIRC focus on breeders revealed in new awards

Everybody who has entered a national championship in the last 12 months will be aware that their horse must be registered with the AIRC in order to do so. The introduction of the new registration system was the first step in the AIRC’s strategic plan to provide more recognition for the Irish breeder and horse across a broader section of the industry at an amateur level.

Today the AIRC announced that it has made awards to the breeders of the winners of the two top showing championships at this year’s Festival in June. It’s the first time in the Association’s history that a breeder has been recognised for their contribution to the industry. Read the full story on the AIRC website.

EquiFestival – a competitor experience

Orla and Sharon O’Donnell both competed at the inaugural EquiFestival in Cavan at the weekend. It sounds like things went well for Orla, as she tells here:

Well we went and we survived! It was lovely to spend enough time on home soil for Molly to regain her Cavan accent! We travelled down on Friday, hit the show ring on Saturday and managed 4th in the Small Riding Horse and 5th in the Small Hunter — the minature horses in the next ring had the poor mare all agog and the gallop was interesting to say the least. If there’s ever a riding club battle charge, we are sorted! Sunday was dressage and jumping with lots of riding club faces spotted up at the jumping ring. Sharon O’Donnell and Jim Campbell both got on well and Benbulben’s team for the RDS looked to be in flying form. The last class of the day was the dressage to music which ran more than two hours over schedule. We scraped a third place in the prelim dressage to music so there was a little bit of delph to sit on the dash on the way home – always a plus for the long journeys.

Well done, Orla. Three placings out of three entries is a pretty impressive record.

Pictured below: Orla showing Molly in the Small Hunters at the Riding Clubs Festival, Stradbally, 2008.

Jumping show in Maghery, Sunday 15 August

Stephen Greene and his compadres from the Dungloe area are running a show on Sunday 15 August at Maghery. It’s a fundraiser for the North West branch of the pony club. There’s a very affordable flat entry fee of €15 for the day. The event ran last year for the first time but kept a low profile. Damien and Nadine attended and had a great time. The day ended with a surprise novelty relay race so best be prepared for something similar in 2010.

Some reports say pony club competitions take place in the morning with open competitions in the afternoon. Other rumours maintain that ponies jump first at each grade followed immediately by horses over the same height. Your best bet is to ring and find out for yourself!

Further details from Stephen Greeene on 087 285 5689.