Benbulben Spring Show, Sunday 22 April

Once the North West League finishes, the rest of the shows start coming thick and fast. The first one that’s within reach on the Western Region calendar is the Benbulben Spring Show on Sunday 22 April.

The show, which features show jumping and dressage and always attracts huge entries, has taken place at Tubbercurry for the past few years. It now moves to Keash Equestrian Centre a little bit further south. The venue holds a special place in the hearts of our members who made the journey there for the final of the autumn league two years ago. It was a great facility then and now it has yet another highly-regarded arena. (And the evenings will be long and light and warm!)

Benbulben RC Show Schedule 2012

Liz and Damien the club’s heroes as North West League reaches its zenith

It will be a couple of days before the full results and final points table are published but everybody who was there on the warm and sunny day knows who took the ribbons at the North West League final. On a day when everybody was a winnner, Liz’s victory over clubmate Christopher in the Primary division and Damien’s superb win on Armstrong in the Advanced Intermediate division of the league were the club highlights.

Damien and Armstrong were joint top of the league with their overall points haul and won the Intermediate & Above Leading Rider Award. Rosaleen Harkin of the Gaeltachts tied with him and took the Primary & Advanced Primary Leading Rider Award after her all out effort to thwart her club mate, Lawrence Smyth.

The fourth year of the North West League delivered on all expectations and sets us up for a wonderful season. Well done everybody and thanks to each and every soul who helped make the whole event happen.

Results, points table and photographs to follow in due course. Be patient!

Temperatures rise for North West League Final

It looks like the weather is taking its cue from the anticipated atmosphere of the North West League. Sunday should see a near-record temperature for late March and our league final seems set to get the sunshine such an occasion deserves.

The improvement in the weather will be matched if not excelled by the improvement in performances at this fifth and final leg of the league. The first leg already seems part of a dim and distant past when days were short and both horses and riders were ring rusty. Competition for league placings is hot and the race for the Leading Rider award is so tight that it may well end up in a draw.

In addition to the standard graded classes, there will be extra fundraising classes (for Our Lady’s Hospital) with a bucket on the gate for the entry fee. These speed classes will be run for P/AP after the 80cm training class and for Intermediate & Above immediately afterwards.

Jonathan Dinsmore of North West Photography will cover the final so you’ll have the opportunity to get some good photographs of your achievements.

The very best of luck to all competitors on what promises to be a great day.

NWL 2012 Points Table · Show 4

Plans take shape at lively club meeting

Tuesday evening’s club meeting at Tir na nOg brought plenty of enthusiastic club members together to map out the next few months’ activity. Amongst the familiar faces was one new one, our recent recruit Norah O’Reilly.

The next quarter sees quite a lot of charity activity as the club makes an effort to drum up the €1,500 we committed to raising for the Irish Cancer Society’s “Relay For Life“. Cormac is organising a pub quiz on Tuesday 24 April and Denis and Leo will run a charity ride-out at a later date. Everybody’s engagement with the effort will be very welcome.

Competition highlights in the coming months begin with the National Hunter Trials at Flowerhill on Sunday 15 April. We have a sizeable contingent of 10 members who hope to make the journey to compete. It’s also a wonderful event for foot soldiers, with plenty of riding action to watch on the extensive cross country course and a social scene that will be talked about for months afterwards.

From cross country we switch to show jumping and dressage with our own Spring Show on Sunday 6 May and the Gaeltacht’s famous Beach Show a week later. The month ends with the Team Show Jumping Qualifier which takes place this year on Sunday 27 May at Barnacarroll, near Knock. Anybody of Intermediate grade or above who is interested in being on a team should contact Francis on 086 372 2542. Training sessions will be arranged is preparation for the qualifier.

For a bit of relief from competition, we’ll head to Carrickfinn for a night’s camping and some riding on the beach on Saturday 19 May. Let Damien know in good time if you plan to go along since there won’t be enough room for all the horses in the club. There’s no shortage of camping space for members travelling without horses.

Other non-competitive action includes ride-outs at Kilmacrennan and Ballybofey, as well as a Francis Fun Night in June. Add to all of that our usual quota of lessons, clear round jumping evenings, and miscellaneous other activities and you can imagine that there won’t be too much time to get bored with your horse.

Spectacular ride to the Fortress of the Sun

If we were to have waited another 364 days, we wouldn’t have found a better day this year for our ride-out from Leo’s home in Burt. Grianan of Aileach, whose name has been variously translated as “Stone Palace of the Sun”, “Fortress of the Sun” and “Stone Temple of the Sun”, was the highlight of a stunning route along deserted little roads with magnificent views across Lough Swilly to Muckish, Fanad Head and beyond.

A group of twelve members gathered at Leo and Linda’s house at midday. Even before the final riders had arrived, our club farrier was put to work after Christopher’s boot came off second best in an encounter with Armstrong’s shoe. Although their squabbling footwear got the relationship off to a shaky start, Christopher and Armstrong buried the hatchet and thoroughly enjoyed each others company on the expedition. Damien was on board Millie, back in work after a winter at rest with Molly.

Lizzie was another club horse returning from a winter of leisure and Paddy was delighted to be back in mounted action. At the other end of the scale, after a hard season’s hunting in bottomless ground, Grace couldn’t believe the lady-like pace of the ride-out. She enjoyed Hannah’s cultured company at a genteel speed as Sally and Maura rode together at the back of the pack.

The group made its way at a lively walk along narrow roads bordered by spring hedgerows, climbing steeply at times with the views across Lough Swilly improving with the elevation. The clarity of the light and the colour of the landscape was breathtaking.

The final ascent to Grianan of Aileach would have knocked the stuffing out of the fittest beast but the infectious enthusiasm amongst the horses propelled them effortlessly to the top. What a spot! Ruth and Rachael McCrossan’s parents were there to greet the party and everybody enjoyed a breather while landmarks and features were identified.

There was no sign of fatigue amongst the horses as the descent began. Excitement grew with every stride and everybody did well to keep their mounts energy in check as the group turned for home. Only Fenway lost the run of himself and did his best to sabotage his wafer-thin chances of getting to Flowerhill. Both he and Libby were lucky to escape unscathed as he took one chance too many with the side of the road and ended up straddling the ditch.

Back at base camp, Leo and Linda provided a very welcome bowl of soup and lots of other treats as chat turned to the final of the league and ultimately to Flowerhill. There’s so much to look forward to and, if Sunday’s experience is anything to go by, this year is shaping up to be a good one.

Many, many thanks to Leo and Linda for a wonderful ride and super hospitality.

Pictured below: The farrier at work before departure and, later on the ride, Grianan of Aileach watches as the group approaches. More photos in the Gallery.

Club meeting, Tuesday 20 March, 8pm

Time, as usual, has been hurtling by. We’ve been working our way rapidly through our calendar of events and it’s already time to sit down again together and map out a further three or four months of riding club activity. As well as the regular weekly events, there are features to plan for like Flowerhill, our Spring Show on Sunday 6 May, the Team Show Jumping qualifier, and the Relay for Life.

We’ll meet as usual in Tir na nOg, on Tuesday next at 8pm. Bring yourself and plenty of ideas and enthusiasm. Everybody welcome. If you can’t make the meeting but would like to pass on information or views, contact Damien on 087 763 1911 or Orla on 087 643 2458.