Benbulben Riding Club have just published the schedule for their Spring Show on Sunday 25 April. Happily there are both dressage and show jumping classes. Dressage must be pre-entered while show jumping entries are taken on the day. Both disciplines will take place outdoors on sand. The venue is the same as for the Team Show Jumping Qualifier show a week later.
National Trails Day plans
Last week the date for Coillte’s 2010 National Trails Day was announced. Clubs are invited to submit proposals for events on forestry lands. Last year we had an enjoyable expedition through Mongorry Woods near Raphoe, having been pipped to the post for the opportunity to ride in Ards Forest Park. We were quick out of the starting blocks this year and our request to hold an event at Ards landed on Coillte’s desk within 24 hours of the announcement. Fingers crossed our request will be granted. National Trails Day is on 3 October 2010.
Full schedule for 2 May Team Show Jumping Qualifier
The schedule for the Western Region’s qualifier for the Team Show Jumping Championships (aka EPS) has just been published. In addition to the qualifier, there’s a full range of normal individual show jumping classes for all grades. The event takes place at Kerin’s Equestrian Centre in Collooney, Sligo.
Team entries close on Wednesday 21 April while individual entries will be taken on the day.
EPS training moves again…
Nothing is ever straightforward. Problems have arisen with Templemore so training this Tuesday night moves to Eddie Gallagher’s arena in Ballybofey, from 7 until 9 pm. Since we have always had reservations about the surface in the arena, we asked Will Crean’s view on the matter. In his opinion the surface is good enough for normal work but he advises against practicing jump-offs there.
On another EPS note, maybe we should stop using the term “EPS” since Horseware Ireland is the event’s sponsor for 2010!
EPS training moves to Templemore
Tomorrow evening’s EPS training with Will Crean moves to Templemore with sessions at 7 pm and 8 pm. Will builds the course for Templemore’s SJI jumping on Wednesdays and our crew will get the benefit of training over the course the night beforehand. With the first session on 30 April cancelled on account of the extraordinary weather, training got off to a late start last Tuesday. Everybody enjoyed Will’s tuition greatly, although the second group had a curtailed session when the the arena lights failed as darkness fell.
This week all 8 riding slots are taken up by members training for the team. If any slots are unfilled in the remaining two training sessions, Advanced Primary riders are welcome to join the lesson. Paddy made the most of a vacancy last week and enjoyed the experience with his mare, Lizzie.
Club members active over sunny weekend
Friday evening’s formation riding class with Valerie Craig kicked the weekend off to a great start with ten members turning out for flatwork with a difference. With the long evening and spectacular sunshine, riding outdoors at Harleys was a pleasure.
On Sunday club members travelled in two directions. Orla and her mare Molly took the road south west to Deanes in Bruckless to compete at the unregistered dressage show. After a lengthy 6-month lay-off from competition, the pair did exceptionally well to take sixth place in one of the Prelim tests.
There was a great Donegal turn-out at the Drumlin Harriers hunter trial in Cootehill, County Cavan. Pony clubbers, riding clubbers and members of the Donegal Harriers showed up to enjoy a great day’s competition over the steep track, up and down over drumlins. Mick and Leo made their hunter-trialling debut in the Novice Pairs on Angel and Grace, completing the course in great style. Keary rode Joe in the Novice Individuals and got around well despite an altercation with the first water jump. Rachel took a full dip at the second water jump on her first round. It didn’t deter her — she set out again happily on her second round, riding Dante together with Libby on Spitfire. They managed to take a ribbon home for Donegal, finishing third in the Novice Pairs in a class of well over 40. Not bad for two ponies competing in their first hunter trial.
Hunter trial photos are posted in the Gallery. Pictured below: Libby on Spitfire (Annatelle) and Rachel on Dante on their yellow rosette round.
Competition Glossary, Part I
Thoroughly confused by all this talk of 2-phases, 1-day events and hunter trials? Here’s a quick glossary:
1-Day Event : Dressage, show jumping and cross country. Scores are accumulated across the three disciplines. Also known as Horse Trials or ODE.
2-Phase : Show jumping and cross country. Scores are accumulated across both disciplines.
Combined Training : Show jumping and dressage. Scores are accumulated across both disciplines.
Hunter Trials : Just cross country. Not to be confused with Horse Trials (see 1-Day Event).
Crossjump : A single-phase mixed-discipline competition. Course starts over show jumps, continues over cross country obstacles and finishes over show jumps.
Working Hunter : A two-phase class beginning with a round of jumping over rustic jumps and finishing with a showing phase.
Equitation Jumping : A show jumping competition where the style of the horse and rider counts as well as clearing the jumps.
This covers the basic classes that involve jumping. We’ll do the same for non-jumping competitions shortly.
National 1-Day Event qualifiers
The AIRC’s 1-Day Event Championships will be held at Annaharvey Farm, Tullamore, on Sunday 12 September. Anybody may compete in the National classes at the event, provided they have competed in a cross country event during the season. However, to compete in the Championship classes you must qualify at one of eight qualifiers throughout the country. Last year Letterkenny’s Nadine Gallagher successfully qualified for the Intermediate Championship. On the big day she was deprived of almost certain victory when Molly slipped and fell in the show jumping phase when on course for a beautiful clear round. Sharon O’Donnell and Libby Carton competed in the national classes.
The list of qualifiers for 2010 has just been published: National ODE Qualifiers
First glimpse of Festival schedule
Here’s the first sighting of the Festival schedule:
Festival Competitions at a Glance · Download
Keep an eye on the AIRC’s website. Information about the Festival is being added bit by bit: AIRC Festival Information
Forecast looking good for Flowerhill
A lot can change in a week but for now things couldn’t be looking better for the National Hunter Trial Championships at Flowerhill next weekend:
Accuweather | Portumna
Online entries for the championships close today. Next week we’ll find out what our volunteering duties are for the day. With luck we’ll be asked to steward a jump with plenty of action. Every club with competitors at the event is obliged to undertake duties on the day and our club’s workload is shared fairly amongst our members. It’s usually a pretty enjoyable part of the trip.
Pictured below: Fence 8, 2009.
Letterkenny Riding Club 