Letterkenny Riding Club

Plenty to look forward to between now and the derby

With Anne taking over in the Secretary’s hot seat, last Thursday’s club meeting was well attended and very productive. Significant annual events such as the Northwest Team Challenge, Flowerhill, Carrickfinn and our summer Derby & Dressage show were chiseled into their slots, allowing the rest of the calendar to fall into place around them.

We have a great series of flatwork lessons lined up to keep us on the straight and narrow through the Northwest League season, as well as clear round jumping and a lesson over poles at critical points as the competition hots up.

Marina has 14 stables booked for club members at Flowerhill and they are already over-subscribed. This means we have another Galway odyssey to look forward to on Sunday 19 April. Earlier that month we have ride-outs and cross country schooling to help eliminate the idea of coloured poles from our minds.

Our Northwest Team Challenge, this year for the Audrey Jacob Cup, takes place as usual at Eglinton on Sunday 26 April. There are no confirmed details for the RDS team qualifier as yet. As soon as they materialise, schooling sessions and/or lessons will be organised for those planning to compete. Maybe 2015 will be the year we make it to Dublin. Never say never!

Our Derby & Dressage show is pencilled in (subject to confirmation) for Sunday 14 June while we head to Carrickfinn to camp a month earlier in mid-May (when the weather is always at its finest…).

On top of our own club calendar, there’s plenty of activity planned collaboratively by the Donegal clubs. We hope to run a 2-Phase league in the summer months with events at Ryan & Liz’z place in Carrigart, Mona & Charlie’s place in Killybegs, and at either Lenamore or Deelside here close to home.

For now however all focus is on the first leg of the Northwest League on Sunday 8 February. Remember that Letterkenny is responsible for running this show so Cormac and his crew will be expecting all hands on deck. The league runs to its normal format with one notable change to the points system. Your best three points results from the first four shows will count, together with your double points at the final. In other words, you have a discard score after the first four shows. This should make things interesting!

The only thing that stands between us and the NWL is the promise of a great night out this Saturday for bowling and dinner at Arena 7. See you there!

Sadness as club members and friends lose loved ones

Our deepest sympathies are extended to Mary Finneran, who lost her mother last weekend after a long battle with illness. Mary nursed her mother throughout her illness, making enormous personal and professional sacrifices to make sure she received the care she deserved.

We also extend our condolences to Tanya who lost her granny last week. It’s been a tough year for the family and we would like to offer our deepest sympathy.

Our thoughts are with you both, Mary and Tanya.

Happy New Year

A very, very happy new year to all our members and their families and friends. After a memorable 2014 here’s hoping for a peaceful and rewarding 2015 where our equestrian ambitions are realised and our club activities bring us endless pleasure.

Blood pressure set to rise as competition peaks on Sunday

This year’s autumn Northwest League has had one show more than its predecessors to build up excitement in the approach to the final. As if additional excitement was ever needed for such an occasion…

First and foremost, our duties as hosts of the final are not to be taken lightly. We need to make sure that the day runs fluently and Cormac will appreciate every bit of help that you can offer. It’s all hands to the pump please!

Secondly, make sure that you go out and win plenty of ribbons. Our club’s honour is at stake and we want to make sure that we have lots of members to applaud when the prizes are awarded at next weekend’s dinner dance. There’s plenty to play for and double points on Sunday mean that nothing is a foregone conclusion. The Hamilton/McClafferty household has the potential to deliver big things, as does the Edwards team of Louise and Tutu. After his stunning debut at Primary level at Show 3, new recruit Cliff Haley could very well pull a ribbon out of the hat and get his competitive club career off to a memorable start.

For the umpteenth time in a row, Anne is jostling for position at the top of the Intermediate leaderboard. It looks as if only the McGinley girls stand between her and victory but it’s a very, very tough division to win. Cormac and Marina appear to have the Advanced Intermediate class sewn up but the rivalry between the pair will be as intense as any come Sunday.

Remember, there are no training classes at the final but the show features novelty classes for both novice and advanced grades.

We look forward to a great turn out on the big day. Come out and support our members, enjoy our comrades from neighbouring clubs, and appreciate the unbeatable atmosphere at one of the friendliest, most enjoyable competitive events on the riding club calendar.

2014 NW Autumn League | Points Show 3
2014 NW Autumn League | Results Show 3

Club calendar for the winter months

As well as the big business of the AGM, we worked out the next few months of club activities when we assembled at Tir na nOg recently. The Northwest League final (Sunday 23 November) and the Donegal Clubs Dinner Dance (Saturday 29 November) are the upcoming highlights before we return to Damien and Nadine’s lovely home for our now-infamous Christmas Wii night on Friday 12 December.

We’ll take a break over Christmas and New Year but kick 2015 off promptly on Friday 9 January with the first of a series of three jumping lessons with Kelda to prepare for the Northwest Spring League. Social activity continues on Friday 30 January with our annual bowling night out at Arena 7.

Our next club meeting takes place on Friday 6 February so pencil the date in your calendar and bring your ideas and energy to the table!

Annual General Meeting 2014 – another fine year under our belt

Inevitably one or two members were inconvenienced by the last minute change of day for the AGM but the very healthy attendance (over two-thirds of our membership) who made it on the night demonstrates how interested and involved in the club everybody remains. In his Chairman’s address, Enda applauded our members’ willingness to take on tasks and share burdens and responsibilities. How right he was.

It was a most enjoyable and constructive meeting during which a couple of notable decisions were reached. Firstly, there was widespread delight at the announcement, made with the blessing of Cecil and Tanya, that our Northwest Team Challenge is to be named in memory of Audrey. The Audrey Jacob Cup will be the perfect symbol of the club spirit, sportsmanship and club ethos that Audrey both championed and embodied. Secondly, we’re going to make our debut in the Facebook world with Louise taking the helm to guide the club ship through these new social media waters.

The election of officers was a good humoured affair with a healthy balance of continuity and change at the top table. Enda stays on as club Chairman and Maura, who successfully husbanded our funds and returned a small profit on the previous year, remains in charge of the club treasury. Paddy and Libby stay on as their righthand men.

After two years of dedicated service to the club, Cormac wisely decided to nominate his erstwhile assistant, Anne, to become the head of secretarial power. She takes over a well organised and efficient machine and we’re all indebted to Cormac for the time and effort he has put into the Secretary’s role during his period in office. It’s very, very much appreciated. Hazel provides new blood in the department as she takes over as assistant secretary.

There are odds and ends of changes amongst the remaining club roles. You can see the full details shortly on the Our Club page of the website.

Club Member & Horse of the Year
To conclude the AGM we had our much-loved club awards and they once again highlighted the different levels on which effort, engagement and achievement are appreciated. Everybody in the club has different goals, different qualities and different personalities — they all add up to make Letterkenny Riding Club what it is.

The deserved winner of the Club Member of the Year Award was Damien, while Tutu and Anne’s Molly shared the Club Horse of the Year honours. There were of course many nominations in both categories — well done everybody.

Club Horse & Member of the Year 2014

Pictured below: Damien receives the Laggan Trophy from Enda while Louise and Anne accept the honours on behalf of their two fine mares.

AGM date changed to Thursday 6 November

Given the exceptionally large number of members who would not be in a position to attend this Friday evening, the AGM has been brought forward by one day to Thursday 6 November.

Everybody is strongly encouraged to attend so that the club can benefit from its members’ input as we chart a course for 2015.

Nominations for our Club Member and Horse of the year should be submitted by Wednesday please.