Flatwork skills with mini-competition, Friday 21 February *updated again*

Orla is organising an intriguing-sounding evening this Friday, 21 February. The “flatwork skills with mini-competition” kicks off at 7.30pm at Cyril’s in Milford.

Our Friday night focus is switching to flatwork for a while and Vera is organising sessions from next Friday with Mary Finneran at Glenleary. Orla has kindly stepped into the breach for this week. Her current passion is Trec so she’s putting a particular twist on the flatwork session. Anybody who has ever tried it — either a Francis Special or a Donegal Trec version — knows that flatwork skills are of paramount importance to the activity. A bit like mounted games, we end up riding our horses well without realising it, so intent are we on overcoming the challenge at hand. There’s probably more good leg-yielding and perfect serpentines ridden on an obstacle course than in most of our sand arenas.

In her own words, Orla promises a “versatile trec session which combines dressage and trec skills”. Contact her on 087 643 2458, if you plan to participate.

Competition begins as North West League helps lift club spirits

Yesterday’s first show of the 2014 North West League was a more subdued event for our members than we’re used to but we have to start somewhere. Liz Potter has collated the results and points with great efficiency and they are clear evidence of a healthy parity across the clubs. The names Donegal Gaeltacht, Tirconaill, Inishowen and Letterkenny pop up across all the grades as we set forth on this familiar annual journey.

NWL 2014 | Results Week 1
NWL 2014 | Points Table Spring League 2014

Well done to all our competitors, particularly to Louise for striking out bravely into 60cm company and landing a victory at the first time of asking.

Wonderful day out in Creeslough

Not for the first time we have Liz Potter to thank for some great photos of club members in action cross country. The Donegal Harriers Creeslough meet is a firm favourite on the hunting calendar and visitors are welcomed at the event. With Gaeltacht members Rosaleen Harkin and John McDaid amongst the key players in organising this fantastic day out,  riding club participation was healthy.

Regular hunt members Keary, Anne, Leo and Rachel were joined by visitors Marina and Libby for a wonderful day out over marvelous natural obstacles through stunning scenery. And the weather for once was vastly better than the atrocious forecast had predicted!

Pictured below: Keary’s face says it all!

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Website usage 2013

Our website runs on the ultra-easy-to-use WordPress.com blogging platform. The WordPress stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for the blog which throws some interesting light on what we most enjoyed looking at on the site and where most of our views come from.

Here’s an excerpt:

Madison Square Garden can seat 20,000 people for a concert. This blog was viewed about 68,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Madison Square Garden, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Northwest league is upon us : Time to rally the troops

Next Sunday, 9 February, brings the much-anticipated first leg of the 2014 Northwest League. It seems a long time since our first-ever Northwest League show back in January 2009 at Deanes in Bruckless. The annual event has been an outstanding success and is a tribute to the riding club members who support it from year to year, either mounted or from the ground. It has been the making of many of our riders and has done more to help novice riders progress than any other competitive event on the riding club circuit in our area.

This year the league follows a familiar pattern with alternating competitive and training classes each day. As far as points are concerned, riders with more than one horse should note that their points horse must be nominated before competing. Training rounds take place after the competition rounds at each grade and riders may train at a height above their grade.

NWL Schedule Spring 2014

Please remember that Letterkenny is responsible for running the first show. That means that everybody possible should turn out on the day to lend a hand. A certain number of people need to be on site in good time so that set-up takes place before competitors arrive.

Above all, try to participate in the competition and training itself. The classes begin with crosspoles and there is no better environment in which to overcome your own nerves or encourage your inexperienced or ring-rusty horse to enjoy an outing over coloured poles.

Numbers swell for final pre-league training session

Last Friday’s training with Kelda at Templemore stretched to two classes as numbers grew with the league approaching. It was a very sociable evening with Audrey on hand with tea and goodies and plenty of time for a chat.

Ann enjoyed mixed fortunes when she rode in both lessons. Molly, her old pro, behaved like a dream while Star, the young pretender, challenged her rider to her limits and earned some choice adjectives for her efforts. Doubtless she’ll put all that behind her when she steps out into the competition limelight next weekend.

Tanya was back in the pink of health and put Al through his paces. It was great to see Liz Cuffe out again too and hopefully she’ll enjoy a good competitive league. Leo is working hard and, like Ann, rode in both lessons as he seeks to retain his NW Spring League crown. Damien, Marina and Enda were putting the finishing polish on their preparation, completing a field which promises much for the forthcoming competition.

Many thanks to Cormac for organising the training evenings and for Kelda for motivating her pupils and building up the confidence again after a long winter.

Leo’s and Cormac’s names floating around on the grapevine

The western region dinner dance took place this past weekend (and apologies if any of you would like to have gone but were relying on the website for information). Snippets of gossip are floating around the airwaves as news of regional points winners filters through. As yet no official reports have arrived but we believe that congratulations are due to Cormac and Leo. Well done chaps. Now maybe we should have a quick competition to suggest what they’ve received their accolades for. Entries to Libby…