Some tasks get put on the long finger and it’s about two years since our membership map was last updated. As we near the end of 2011 our membership stands at 48. This shows remarkable consistency with the last few years when we had 51 and 49 members respectively in 2009 and 2010. (If you want to look at a larger version of the map, check out the pdf version on our Club page.)
These are the winter months when days are short and there’s no light for capturing the club’s activities on camera. Our Features section is designed to brighten up the dark season so root out some photos of when you were younger or put together a profile of your horse for the website. You can email material to Libby on libby@cartonlevert.ie or hand her the goods on a Friday evening.
How time flies. It’s now less than two weeks to our club’s annual general meeting on Monday 14 November.
The meeting provides an opportunity to reflect on what we’ve been doing for the past 12 months, assess where we’re going in the future, and generally appreciate the activities the club and its members have been involved with in 2011.
The business end of things is always important but the social side dominates proceedings and our AGM has always proven a very enjoyable affair. There’ll be the usual election of club officers so search your soul and see if you can commit the time and effort to one of the many jobs on the roster. If you want to find out what any of the positions entail, give Orla a shout or contact the person who has been responsible for the post this year (see The Club page of the site for an overview of current positions).
The finale of the AGM will be the presentation of our awards for Club Member of the Year and Club Horse of the Year. The winners of these awards are selected by the members through a nomination process. Each member can nominate two candidates for each of the awards. Damien collects the nominations and you can submit yours by texting, emailing or snail-mailing him in advance of the AGM. If you like, give a few reasons for your choice – this adds to the enjoyment of the ceremony on the evening.
For any further information on the AGM contact Orla on 087 643 2458 or Francis on 086 372 2542.
Benbulben Riding Club’s Autumn Show, part of the Western Region Autumn League, takes place on Sunday 13 November. With the club’s prime location bang in the middle of the region, the show is guaranteed to attract large entries and prove a competitive affair.
Eight pupils enjoyed Valerie’s formation riding class on Friday last when the weather was clement and the tuition was excellent. The classes continue this Friday and the forecast is looking equally optimistic. If you’d like to participate, make sure you book with Rachel on 086 161 7087 by Wednesday at latest.
Roisin has been in touch with an update on the Gaeltacht’s Halloween Fun Day:
Our Halloween inter-club Show Jumping Fun Day is on Saturday. This show does not earn points in the Western Region Autumn League. Due to potential poor weather and subsequent ground conditions, we’re moving the show from Ballyness Bay to Killult Stables. We don’t want to be sinking in the sand again!!! The show starts at 12pm, or soon after. The fee for the day’s jumping is €15. This covers your individual round, a novelty round and training at other grades (within reason). Prizes for 1st place for Individual and Novelty and rosettes for 1st to 3rd. We may combine the Individual P/AP or AI/O grades if numbers are low. We’ll be using our new show jumps – we just can’t wait until next summer to show them off! Tea, coffee, soup, etc. will be supplied too. Details from Roisin on 087-9180008.
Casual dress too.
It promises to be a great day’s fun and the weather looks like being reasonably charitable — everything is relative this year!
Orla and Martina are working on the official results from Saturday’s show at Eglinton. Here for starters are the main individual classes. The results of the Team Challenge and the novelty classes will follow.
It’s about a year since we had any classes with Valerie so many of you will look forward greatly to the series of three formation riding lessons that begins this coming Friday evening and continues on 3 and 11 November.
For those of you who haven’t done it before, think of a cavalry drill. The emphasis is on riding synchronised movements in groups and it’s a wonderful way of doing great flatwork without even realising that you’re doing it. The lessons are suitable for all levels from novice to experienced riders.
With no indoor arena available for these Friday evenings we’re going to work outdoors at Harleys. It’s a pretty sheltered arena and with luck the weather Gods will smile on us.
Book at latest by Wednesday with Rachel on 086 161 7087, if you plan to attend.
Several of our members thoroughly enjoyed the September series of show jumping lessons at Eglinton with Gary Marshall. Rachael McCrossan has now arranged another series of classes, once again in Eglinton. They begin on Monday 7 November and will run for 4 to 6 weeks. The cost is €25 per class.
Contact Rachael on 087 212 8031 if you’re interested in taking part.
On a day when rain teemed relentlessly from the sky,” The Show With The Roof” provided excellent entertainment as riders from Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal fought it out in some thrilling competitions. None was more closely contested than the Northwest Team Show Jumping Challenge. With just the Advanced Intermediates left to jump, there were three teams still in contention for the cup. When both Marina for Letterkenny’s Team 1 and Fiona Tansey of the Springbulben team registered 4 faults at the same fence, it all came down to a jump off. Gallant Armstrong’s single time fault kept Letterkenny’s Team 3 out of the finale as they settled for third place.
With the Intermediate riders responsible for jump-off duties, Finola Murphy on Jessie faced off Paddy on Lizzie. They both rose to the occasion magnificently and produced immaculate clear rounds. Finola just pipped Paddy on time and the Springbulben team pried the cup from Letterkenny’s hands for the very first time. Congratulations all of you. We hope you’ll be back to defend it next year.
The individual classes provided great entertainment and excitement with the Primaries kicking things off in style. Karen Logue had a lovely round on Jack at her very first riding club show but had faults in her first round. This was the case for rider after rider and the course was quite obviously proving tricky. Just as it looked as if nobody would manage an error-free round, Ryan McBride and Clyde of the Gaeltachts jumped an effortless double clear to take the lead. Rising to the challenge, Dave entered the arena on Britney for his first ever competition and promptly delivered the winning double clear to take the class in brilliant style for Letterkenny.
The Advanced Primary class was equally hotly contested and Cathriona Goaley from Springmount Riding Club in Galway was rewarded for her stalwart support of this show with both first and third placings on her own Curra Whoopi and partner Ciaran’s Cash Customer respectively. Leo and Cool were marginally wide of the winning time, taking second spot with a spirited performance.
Cathriona almost stole the Primary & Advanced Primary Accumulator for Galway but Keary saved the day for Donegal when pipping her by .2 of a second for a thrilling victory on Arthur.
The Intermediate class produced just three clear rounds, proving again that Seamus’s coursebuilding was challenging horses and riders. Again we had a rider with two horses in the thick of things — this time Ann Chambers riding her own Molly and Keary’s Arthur. Although she rode two masterful rounds, it was the unbeatable combination of Finola Murphy and Jessie Kildalton Delight from Benbulben who once again took the red ribbon for Sligo.
Despite a healthy entry, the combined Advanced Intermediate & Open class failed to produce a single clear round. Damien and the indomitable Armstrong were the only combination to clear every jump in the correct order and deservedly won the class despite their single time fault.
That left just the Intermediate & Above novelty class, the Accummulator, to bring down the curtain on the day. And what a finale it proved. After breathtaking rounds from numerous competitors, it was Kean O’Hara and Ted who took first prize for Benbulben.
It was a wonderful day’s competition with lots of new faces and plenty of entertainment and excitement. A huge thanks to everybody who helped in any way, in particular to Rachel and Martina who coordinated the whole event; to our judge Jane Conway and her righthand man, Mike; to Seamus for his intensive coursebuilding, and to Maura and Orla for scoring the team challenge. Most of all, thanks to everybody who travelled to support the show. Here’s to 2012.
Full results shortly and more photos in the Gallery in due course.
Pictured below: Some of the winners on the day. Congratulations to all of you.
Letterkenny Riding Club