Fourth and final flatwork lesson with Mary Devine set to conclude excellent series

If you can find a bookmaker to give you odds on the winners of the dressage classes at our show on 6 May, you’d be well advised to back the competitors who have benefitted from flatwork tuition with Mary Devine over the last few weeks.

Hazel, Karen, Laura, Finbar, Rachael and Ruth McCrossan, Tanya, Vera, Sharon, John, Paddy and Nadine have all been beneficiaries. Baby Emily has been learning her mother’s craft from the sidelines and will probably be offering to call dressage tests before very long.

Overall, the emphasis has been on flexibility and the use of lateral work. Mary has been tremendously enthusiastic and generous with her time and expertise focussing completely on the quality of the riding. Vera has kept the numbers very small per lesson ensuring that everyone has had fantastic value for money.

This coming Friday is the last in the series. Book now with Vera 087 232 5632, if you wish to participate.

No shortage of diversity on the social front: Goof’s Gaff, Friday 4 May

Fundraising and charity events make up a large part of the social calendar these days and our club members are active in different guises in their other lives. Orla and Annette are the latest activists to declare themselves. They’re both involved in Goof’s Gaff, a Letterkenny-based initiative set up by a music student with a view to supporting and promoting original music in the North West. The sessions are simple but effective; high quality video recordings of local musicians taken on a sofa in a living room in Letterkenny and shared with a community of music lovers and potential fans through YouTube and Facebook.

They’d appreciate your support at a live event on Friday 4 May. Read the full details on the line up and pencil the date in your calendar.

Goofs Gaff Live · Friday 4 May

Fundraising ride-out and BBQ, Killygordon, Sunday 29 April

Plans are falling into place for the fundraising ride-out and barbeque being organised by Denis and Leo on behalf of Gemma Carroll on Sunday 29 April. Mick and Suzanne will be donating the proceeds to two charities of their choice.

The meeting point is the chapel car park at Crossroads, Killygordon, and the ride will move off at 12.30 pm. The route travels back roads and some tracks and offers wonderful views of the Finn Valley. The expedition will last 1.5 to 2 hours.

Please let Denis know by Wednesday next on 087 925 8996, if you plan to go along. He needs to know how many burgers have to be prepared!

Donating made easy for Relay For Life

With just six weeks to go until the Relay for Life, things are starting to get serious on the fundraising front. Although plenty of donations will be made in the traditional manner by handing over notes and coins, we also have a facility for making donations on line through the MyCharity.ie website.

Visit Letterkenny Riding Club’s Relay for Life charity page and spread the word.

Planning for the team show jumping qualifier

The Western Region team show jumping championship qualifier takes place on the last Sunday in May. If time continues to fly by at its current rate, it will all be over before we have time to blink.

The competition is open to riders graded Intermediate or above. If you’re interested in representing the club on a team, contact Francis on 086 372 2542 without further delay. He will be arranging training sessions over the weeks leading up to the qualifier.

Tanya back in the red

While half the club was focussed on cross country at Flowerhill on Sunday last, Tanya’s mind was on dressage. She made a welcome return to competitive action after recovering from a very nasty collarbone break that she picked up late last season. It’s clear that she hasn’t lost her touch.

Not one to do things by halves, she brought both Jack and Al to the North Coast Dressage League show at Eglinton and picked up a red rosette on each of them. Congratulations!