New polocrosse club forming in Donegal

In the interests of promoting Polocrosse in Donegal a new club is being set up. A meeting to organise the club, decide on training venues, dates etc is being held in Letterkenny on Friday 28 May. Anyone who is interested in finding out more about the game is very welcome to attend. The club will be open to both adults and children, as the social and family orientated nature of the sport is one of its best features. The club will be affiliated to the ‘Irish Polocrosse Association’.

As the name suggests Polocrosse is a combination of lacrosse and polo, and has been described as hurling on horseback! Polocrosse is a game for everyone; regardless of age, riding ability and regardless of whether you’re highly competitive or simply want to have fun messing about on your horse. It is a very fun, very relaxed equestrian sport and the only requirements are a love of the horse and an ability to enjoy yourself.

Polocrosse is appealing as a sport for all the family and attracts a wide range of abilities. As riders become more competitive it becomes more important for the horses to be fast and agile but when starting out any type of horse or pony will be suitable (see Fenway and Kaiser, classic examples of novice polocrosse horses below!). Ball and racquet skills improve with practice, as do your riding skills and the ability of the horse. This sport provides many horses with a second life, as those with a less than ideal jumping technique or insufficient ability on the racetrack can excel on the Polocrosse field. Riders also benefit from the experience as the nature of the game develops their independent seat and a greater appreciation of the use of legs and body to direct their horse, rather than relying on the hands to do all the braking and steering.

Further information and confirmation of the meeting’s time and venue from Rachel on 086 161 7087 or rachelcarton2@eircom.net.

Pictured below: Letterkenny Riding Club members having a go at Polocrosse at Millers Hill, September 2009.

Full schedule for Donegal Gaeltacht Beach Show

The Donegal Gaeltachts have just published the schedule for their much anticipated beach show on Sunday 6 June. There’ll be a BBQ the evening before at Lawrence Smyth’s yard in Killult, Falcarragh from 8:30 pm (bring a bottle).

Any queries, bookings, pre-entries to Roisin on 087 668 3987 or rdmcgee@eircom.net.

DGRC Beach Show 2010 Schedule · Download

Pictured below: Elaine, Anne and Orla enjoying themselves at the Letterkenny RC picnic table at last year’s beach show.

Competition time: Getting your tack right

The subject of tack is almost as extensive as the weather. We all have different inclinations. Some go the classical route while others like to try every latest invention. Whatever your taste, make sure that you have the basics correct for both you and your horse for competition. Download the tack sheets for each discipline in which you intend to compete. If you’re new to the game, don’t be daunted. Most of it is pretty straightforward and, if you remember a few basic dos and donts, you won’t go too far wrong.

For instance, don’t use a dressage (or schooling) whip when show jumping – you need a standard short one.

Don’t use a martingale or any kind of boots (on your horse!) when riding your dressage test. Do remember to wear gloves yourself.

Be careful that your bit is permitted for dressage.

Remember that you must be graded Intermediate or above to use spurs.

If you’re in any doubt, ask another member who might have more experience. Be careful though – sometimes it’s a case of the blind leading the blind!

Dressage Tacksheet · Download
Show Jumping Tacksheet · Download
Cross Country Tacksheet · Download
Dressage for Horse Trials/ODE Tacksheet · Download

Updates on National Dressage and ODE Championships

The AIRC has announced that the National Dressage Championships on Sunday 22 August will take place at Grove House, Fethard, County Tipperary. No jokes about the long way to Tipperary please – Nadine and Damien found that out when they participated in the 2008 ODE Championships at the same venue. Remember, no qualification is necessary for the individual classes at the dressage championships. Qualification for the team event is through our regional qualifier at Upper Mace EC, Claremorris, on Sunday 4 July.

On the one-day eventing front, the AIRC have announced an additional qualifier for the National ODE Championships. It will be held in Kilteel, near Naas, County Kildare, on Sunday 25 July, unfortunately clashing with our own crossjump show. Qualification for the National Championship is through any one of the eight regional qualifiers. However, anybody may enter the non-championship classes on the big day.

Keep up to date with all the national competition news on the AIRC website.

Show season

Show season is upon us and the old familiars like Bonagee and Finn Valley take their established place in the summer calendar. There are of course many, many more. Check out the full programme of ISA affiliated shows at the  Irish Shows Association website. You’ll find the legend for their complicated alphabetical codes under the rules section.

Pictured below: Marina on Teldel, Bonagee Show, 2008. Ava is on Galanta in the background. (Image courtesy Clive Wasson).

2-Phase League at Cloncaw Equestrian, Monaghan

Cloncaw EC in Glaslough, County Monaghan, are running a 2-phase league on Sunday 30 May, Friday 2 July and Sunday 15 August, with the final on Sunday 5 September. The July fixture provides a great opportunity to school around the course before the National ODE Qualifier on Sunday 11 July.

Further information from Geraldine Bellew on 047 88882 or email geraldine@cloncaw.com. Check out the venue on Cloncaw Equestrian.

Club welcomes another new 2-legged member

Michelle O’Rourke from Bomany, Letterkenny, has joined the club. She’s a veteran of the East Donegal Pony Club where she was a member during Seamus McCaffrey’s time as District Commissioner. She joins us at Advanced Primary level and we look forward to seeing her out with her young horse over the summer.

Basil joins the club

How many of you wondered if Suzanne had given her daughter Gemma’s pony, Jack, a paint job for the Combined Training at Deanes? In the photo she’s definitely riding a horse of a different colour.

Meet Basil. He’s a laid back gentleman with beautiful manners. Having done pony club up to B test, he went as far as novice dressage with his first owner. At 15.3 hh he’s just a nice size for Suzanne and she’s been getting along like a house on fire with him at Wednesday Club and at Deanes. It looks like a great relationship and hopefully Suzanne and Basil will enjoy many long years together.