Horse Sport Ireland has now officially launched the CapallOir online breeding database that has been running in its pilot form for several months. The AIRC links in to this database and riding club achievements may now eventually count for something in the performance record of a horse.
Find out more on the Horse Sport Ireland website.
The Intermediate riders are generally seen as the favoured ones — they don’t have to get up too early and they don’t get home too late. But riding later in the day can have its disadvantages and on Sunday the Primary and Advanced Primary riders had the last laugh as they watched their higher graded club mates compete in pouring rain. No hard feelings. Everybody was just delighted that the rain held off for as long as it did.
The ground at Lenamore is famous for its draining qualities and despite heavy rainfall in the week preceding the event the cross country course was in wonderful condition. A large troop of workers helped with the set-up on Saturday afternoon and the competition got underway with a lovely Primary derby course in the first field. Entries in the class were small with Enda on schoolmaster Teldel taking Christopher’s scalp. Christopher deserved his own award for the manner in which he handled the recalcitrant Frank, a Lenamore resident who was obviously taken aback by the number of interesting new obstacles that had appeared on his home turf.
As Enda and Christopher fought it out on the cross country course, competition began in the dressage arena on the other side of the car park. Vera, looking terrific in her new show jacket and white breeches, was observed by her advisor Maeve as she rode Tia to victory in the primary dressage. Finbar arrived in time to take the reins and filled third spot with Maura and Hannah dividing the pair.
The Advanced Primary dressage was dominated by the Benbulben mother and daughter duo, Glyn and Melinda Morgan. They took first and second place in the dressage arena before galloping to victory in the AP Pairs on the cross country course. Daughter/sister Kelda watched keenly from the sidelines and enjoyed the family victory.
Several Donegal Gaeltacht members were out for a warm-up session in advance of their raid on the AIRC National 1-Day Event Championship in Tullamore this coming weekend. Rachael McCrossan on Roger got the best possible confidence booster with a great win in the AP Individual Hunter Trial class. Connor Gallagher and Patricia Warren had equally satisfactory warm-up experiences when fighting it out in the Advanced Intermediate/Open class. Conor took the top two places with Patricia in third while our own Geraldine Porter was for once let down by Cool who took a distinct dislike to the new coffin.
Connor was on a roll on the day and partnered Marina to victory in the Intermediate & Above Pairs. It was a great cross country debut from Marina’s mare Jenny and Tanya hit a similar milestone when competing Al cross country for the first time in the Intermediate Individual hunter trial. That class produced four error-free rounds over the long, galloping course that had challenged the navigational skills of riders all afternoon. Damien travelled marginally too slowly on Millie to fill third spot while Marina’s pace on the irrepressible Teldel was too fast. It was Mai who came in almost bang on the optimum time to record a great victory and crown a memorable year for Libby on Fenway’s super-subs.
Back in the dressage arena, this time it was Tanya who thwarted Nadine in their ongoing battle for the Advanced Intermediate prizes while Erica and Britney enjoyed a great win in the Intermediate class.
Wrapping up the day Marina was particularly grateful to Geraldine Graham who so generously makes the course and facilities available to us. The improvements to the course added greatly to the enjoyment of the event and we look forward to the further refurbishments she has planned.
A very big thank you to everybody who helped in any way, particularly to the fence stewards who endured a long and progressively wet stand in the deteriorating weather. Thanks also to the Morgans and Paul Hughes who travelled a great distance to support the event, to Brenda, Charlie and Mona from Tirconaill, and to the faithful Gaeltachts who have supported this event from the beginning. And a special thank you to Marina, Cormac and Keary (and Nadine!!) who made the whole thing happen.
Full results to follow and more photos in the Gallery.
What summer? Has there ever been a greater sense of anti-climax than what we’re feeling in these dying days of a season that never was? Children are returning to school and the grass in the fields is growing even more slowly than it has done for the past three or four months. Most of us are feeling cheated. Don’t despair. September has plenty of highlights to brighten your horizon.
Hunter Trial & Dressage at Lenamore
This weekend sees the fourth renewal of our annual show at Lenamore. We’re running it as a hunter trial and dressage this year in a change from the traditional cross jump. Contact Marina on 086 821 6335 if you’re able to help either setting up on Saturday (from 2pm) or with Sunday duties. As usual, we’d prefer if those who aren’t competing could help at the event itself so that our riding members can focus on the competition. Our newer members, who might not have been that involved in running events to date, should contact Marina and get involved. It’s a great way to get to know your fellow club members and learn more about how the riding club works. And it can be great fun!
Millers Hill Weekend Away
We have a great contingent signed up for Millers Hill with 16 definites and 2 probables on the books to date. Remember that you need to pay Libby in full by this Sunday, 4 September (she’ll be at Lenamore so you can catch her there — otherwise post a cheque). If something arises and you aren’t able to make the weekend, you will get a refund. We’ll be enjoying the cross country course, trying our hand at carriage driving and polocrosse, and most importantly, enjoying the great hospitality that the McCrum family offers us each year.
If you’d like to go but haven’t booked yet, it’s not too late. There may be a limit to the number of horses that can be offered livery but there’s no limit to the number of 2-legged guests that can be accommodated.
Benbulben RC Crossjump
Our neighbours in Sligo are running their very popular crossjump at Kean and Louise O’Hara’s Annaghmore Estate outside Collooney in Sligo on Sunday 18 September. It’s a beautiful course with a lovely natural water feature and a dry ditch as well as plenty of challenging but fair fly jumps. In past years the pony club have run an identical event alongside the riding club competition making it a great day for families.
Friday evening jumping lessons
The last three Fridays in September (16/23/30) see us return to tuition for a series of jumping lessons. Erica is at present making arrangements for both instructor and venue and will confirm details as quickly as she can. You don’t need to be an accomplished show jumper to participate — novices who want to begin with poles on the ground will be very welcome.
So, no need to be depressed as you see the evenings closing in and watch the little horrors trudging along with their schoolbags. The best is yet to come!
Vera has undertaken to sell tickets for the Irish Horse Welfare Trust raffle. Contact her on 087 232 5632 if you’d like to help the cause and be in with a chance to go on a riding holiday in Africa.
This time it was a question of the rain not coming too early. For the third successive Friday evening, the club got lucky with beautiful sunshine, this time for cross country schooling over the course at Lenamore. The rain came in great volumes later in the night but all was benevolent at 7pm.
Nine members rode on the evening — eight opting for the cross country course while Nadine worked Molly quietly on her own in the small sand arena. It was an unusual picture but one we’ll all become accustomed to rapidly as Nadine starts to take more care of herself. She and Damien have announced the wonderful news that they’re expecting a baby Gallagher in February. Many congratulations. That’s yet another purebred Letterkenny Riding Club member-of-the-future on the books!
Out on the cross country course everybody worked at their own pace, although Libby and Mai had a minor disagreement about their combined concept of pace. After a quick pit stop where Ed assisted in switching from the snaffle to the pelham, they were soon back on the course and proceeded in slightly better harmony. Mai’s gameness and enthusiasm was useful when a lead horse was needed for the brand new coffin jump. Everybody who wanted to jump it was popping it happily by the end of the session.
The volume of sweat generated by the horses on the evening was proof of the relaxed pace of summer riding activity. Plenty of riders were in the same boat, not surprisingly. Another week’s work and everybody should be well on song for our hunter trial next weekend.
It was a really worthwhile evening and many thanks to Cormac for organising it. Suzanne Wylie Deeney was on the course with her camera and, although light was fading, got some good shots of the session.
Pictured below: Three new jumps at Lenamore: Mai earns her keep at the new coffin (look up, Libby!!!) while Paddy and Lizzie negotiate the bank like old hands. More pictures in the Gallery.
The Donegal Gaeltacht’s inter-club ride-out around the Falcarragh area this Sunday, 28 August, promises to be a great experience. Great scenery, beaches, natural terrain and a finale over the club’s spanking new show jumps. All that and a half-way decent weather forecast for good measure (not to mention the good company…).
The ride leaves from Killult, Falcarragh at 12 noon on Sunday. Let Orla know by Thursday, if you plan to go, or contact Roisín directly by text on 087 918 0008.
Anybody who plans to get in that all-important dry run over the old and new obstacles at Lenamore this Friday can book with Cormac on 087 251 4417. It’s purely a schooling session and there will be no instruction on the evening. Remember too that if you’d like to go along and jump coloured poles in the arena on the evening, non-XC participants are very welcome.
Back protectors and skull caps are obligatory on the cross country course!
N.B. Cormac will arrange an alternative session on Tuesday evening, 30 August, for those who can’t make it for Friday. We’d like to keep the numbers up on Friday and low on Tuesday, so try to make the earlier session.
Pictured below: Our three Mollies in action over Lenamore’s course at our Crossjump, 2009. The identity of one of their riders is obvious but who can remember the other two?
Those who attended the regional training day in Cloncaw and opted for a show jumping session will have experienced the training skills of Gary Marshall. Now there’s a chance to train with him again closer to home.
Gary has booked Eglinton for training sessions on 5/13/19 & 26 September (all Mondays except for Tuesday 13 in Week 2). The classes will be progressive, concentrating on the basics of show jumping. He’ll begin with pole work and work up to a full course on the final night. Groups will be small (4 to 5 riders) and the cost will be €25 per session.
If you’re interested in attending, contact Rachael McCrossan of the Gaeltachts by Thursday of this week so that she can gauge the level of interest. She can also answer any further questions you may have. Contact her on 087 212 8031.
Pictured below: Gary’s training sessions at Cloncaw in June.
For the second week in succession, the weather changed in the nick of time for our Friday evening action. What could have been a miserably wet and windy ride instead turned out to be a memorable treasure hunt in beautiful autumn light and spectacular scenery.
With just five members taking up Francis’s challenge, a quick but formal de-affiliation ceremony was conducted and the event took place as a non-AIRC activity. That allowed Maura’s brother-in-law Martin, on holidays from Wicklow, to join in the chase. He provided excellent company while he commanded Zak, the map and the clue sheet with the unflappable ease of an experienced rider.
Nadine, Damien and Sally set out first with the second team of Maura, Libby and Martin following in hot pursuit. Maura did brilliantly on a lively Hannah and must have doubled the hours in her trotting log book by the end of the evening. Fenway and Zak got a bit hot under the collar when asked to travel at a lady-like pace along one of their favourite canter lanes but settled themselves when their riders needed to earnestly ponder a puzzling clue about a portal a short distance further on.
There was so much accumulated pondering of clues that light was dwindling before the teams were two thirds of the way around the route. The hunt master pragmatically amended the course to eliminate clues 13 to 17 and everybody got back safely before dusk quickly became darkness.
Sheets were handed in and the result—a resounding victory for Team 2—was celebrated in style over a table laden with tea and scones with homemade raspberry jam and fresh cream. It was a great evening. Many, many thanks to Francis and Maura. Roll on Treasure Hunt 2012.
Pictured below: Team 2 follows the scent along roads and tracks with Lough Swilly in the background.
The Irish Horse Welfare Trust is running a raffle to raise some urgently needed funds. The prize is a place on a fabulous Riding Safari to Africa in November with a group going out for IHWT.
Tickets are €20 each but are restricted to 1000. The raffle will take place on 30 September 2011. IHWT are appealing for your help in selling tickets. Books of ten tickets can be sent out upon email request to info@ihwt.ie. If you don’t feel you can sell a book of ten, you can arrange to buy a ticket for yourself.
Find out more about the the Irish Horse Welfare Trust on their website.
Letterkenny Riding Club