Reminder: AGM this Friday, 1 November

All members are welcome at our Annual General Meeting this coming Friday, 1 November, at Tir na nOg in Letterkenny. Cormac has sent everybody an agenda so club officers should be prepared to report on their respective areas of responsibility and all members should be ready to contribute to the planning of the next 12 months. Once all the formalities are done and dusted we’ll celebrate the Club Member and Club Horse of the Year Awards and then settle back for a sociable evening without the responsibility of horses in tow.

If you can’t make the meeting but have points you’d like to see raised, please contact Cormac or Damien before Friday.

Nominations please! Club Member and Club Horse of the Year Awards

Wednesday is your deadline for submitting nominations for your Club Horse and Club Member of the Year, to be announced at our AGM on Friday. Last year’s award for 2-legged members was shared three ways and honoured Jenny, Louise and Cormac. Teldel was the outstanding winner of the 4-legged trophy.

Submit your nominations (2 per person for each award) to Cormac by Wednesday 30 November at latest, preferably including a few reasons for your suggestion. You can send them by text or email.

North West League, Show 1, Sunday 3 November

All eyes turn to Templemore next Sunday as the 3-leg North West Autumn League kicks off. Most members are well familiar with the order of the day at this stage. Please be conscious of the fact that Letterkenny and Tirconaill clubs are jointly responsible for running this initial show so be sure to volunteer your services and offer to help if you see something that needs to be done. Newer members will find this a great opportunity to get to know members from all the Donegal clubs, as well as their own. It’s a very sociable event and can be enjoyed almost equally well on foot as on horseback but remember, there can be no league without competitors!

Catching up on club activities

With action on several different fronts over the past 10 days, it’s easy enough to move on to something new without pausing to reflect on what’s just happened.

Audrey and Tanya’s bowls night in Ramelton recently was a wonderful social evening with the kind of tight competition, scarcely controlled egos and rapid-fire quips that defied any notion that bowls is a genteel pursuit.

Twelve players took to the lanes and Louise and Mervyn made stunning debuts while Enda’s uncle, Mícheal, showed plenty of promise. Hazel’s effort was equally notable and she grinned from ear to ear as she received her prize for most accomplished bad score. At the other end of the scale, Enda looked down cockily from his victor’s perch until, amidst the showers of congratulations, Cormac reminded him that he has to be allowed to win at something.

The Jacobs family looked after the club in fine style on their Ramelton turf and the tea and refreshments were worthy of the big gathering. A fair chunk of the party made the short journey to Conways afterwards where tales of wet weekends away were recounted beside a blazing fire.

Thanks to Audrey, Cecil, Tanya and Lee for a most enjoyable and highly competitive evening.

With the North West League just days away, Damien did his best to get some homework done by attending Kelda’s lesson on Tuesday night. Never believe what you see on a website! He frittered away his effort waiting at Templemore, only to discover that the lesson was in fact taking place at Eglinton. Sorry Damien!

Orla, who is shortly sitting her EFI coaching exams, gamely turned out in ferocious weather conditions to tutor Leo, Francis, Rachel and Libby over some coloured poles on Sunday. The lesson was a great success with simple exercises beginning with walk, trot and canter corridors setting the scene nicely for a small course of four jumps. It was just the kind of exercise that was needed to get rusty older horses (and riders!) as well as Rachel’s baby horse, Merlin, working away happily with their ears pricked.

Many thanks to Orla for organising and teaching the session. Good luck with the EFI exams!

Valuable chance to train for NWL at Cyril’s, Sunday 27 October

With most jumping opportunities of late occurring in the Derry district, it’s probably useful to many members at the other end of our far-flung catchment area to have the chance to train at Cyril’s near Milford. Orla is organising a session this Sunday which can be tailored to suit demand. If you’re interested in going along, please contact her on 087 643 2458 as soon as possible.

North West Autumn League Schedule

Just two weeks to go until the first leg of the North West Autumn League! The familiar schedule is now published and we can all look forward to this three-leg competiton.

NW Autumn League 2013

The shows take place on Sundays 3, 17 and 24 November at Templemore and offer a combination of training and competitive classes at every level. The prizes will be awarded at our much-anticipated 2nd Annual Donegal Clubs Dinner Dance on Saturday 30 November at the Station House Hotel.

AGM *and Awards* take earlier date this year, Friday 1 November

In an effort to comply with the western region’s wishes, our AGM will take earlier this year than in previous times. Friday 1 November is the date for this generally sociable get-together during which we reflect on the activities of the past 12 months and chart the course for the next riding club year. All club members are encouraged to come along to the meeting takes place in Tir na nOg.

The AGM also features our Club Member and Club Horse of the Year awards. Your votes will be needed for these so keep your eyes open for Cormac’s text inviting your nominations.