2024 Endurance successes recognised at ILDRA AGM and Awards Night

ILDRA (Irish Long Distance Riding Association) hosted their AGM and annual awards night to celebrate the endurance successes of 2024 at the Edenmore Golf and Country Club near Moira on Friday, February 7. Members of ILDRA and their families enjoyed attending the event, with good food and company to be had, with the AGM recognising the hard work and contributions made by the ILDRA and Ulster Branch Committee members and ILDRA members for their work in ensuring that events ran through 2024 to offer both competitive endurance and pleasure riding events across Northern Ireland.

From much-loved venues, such as Shane’s Castle near Antrim, Castle Ward on the shores of Strangford Lough, the rugged and remote Cam Forest near Limavady to the Emerald Jewel in endurance riding on the island of Ireland of St Patrick’s Coast Endurance Ride, ILDRA had an event for all horses and riders taking in some of the breath-taking scenery on offer in Northern Ireland.

Hannah Catterall presenting the Richard York Memorial Trophy to John Anderson and ‘Area Access’ at the ILDRA AGM and annual awards night.

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ILDRA would like to thank everyone who has dedicated their time to ensure that these rides can run, from ride organisers, admin teams managing ILDRA’s Facebook page and website, car parking and road stewards, all of the countless hours and hard work given is much appreciated!

ILDRA welcomes all riders and horses to come along and enjoy their events, you can join up as a member (which offers a reduced entry rate) or enter our events as a non-member. There are rides covering nearly every corner of Northern Ireland from Florencecourt near Enniskillen, Baronscourt near Omagh, Cam Forest in Limavady, Shane’s Castle in Antrim, Tollymore near Newcastle and Clandeboye in North Down, means you are never too far away from an ILDRA event! ILDRA also typically hosts two rides per month from January to October/November time.

Keri Black and ‘Pascal’ won the York Trophy for 2024, in their first season of endurance and received it from Hannah Catterall at the ILDRA AGM and awards night.

The eagerly awaited part of the evening is the presentation of awards for the 2024 endurance season.

There are awards on offer for horse and rider combinations, as well as horses and riders individually (based on age, horse height and breeds), as well as separate awards for competitive endurance rides and pleasure rides.

Winning the Open Championship for 2024 was Helen McFarland on ‘Chalima de Gueyte’, with the pair also winning the Veteran Trophy and the Bint Eastern Zapphire Trophy.

Helen McFarland collected the Gemini Trophy for her horse ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ from Hannah Catterall at ILDRA’s AGM and awards night.

The Intermediate Championship trophy for 2024 was hotly contested, with Roseanna Andrew on ‘Puzzle Piece’ coming first, followed by Susan Hunter on ‘Colour Cascade’ in second place and Bree Rutledge on ‘Clovermount Rhinestone’ in third.

Winning the York Trophy for 2024, in their first season of endurance, was Keri Black on ‘Pascal’. The Fairview Gypsy Gold Trophy for Veteran horses was won by ‘Colour Cascade’, followed by ‘Tully’s Valley’ in second place with ‘Yasser Arafat’ coming third.

The Family Trophy was won by Sarah and William Morcombe, who both ride ‘In Our Blood Bertie’ at ILDRA’s events.

Winning the Top Man Award was John Anderson, with William Morcombe taking second place.

The Hussar Pleasure Trophy was won by Emma Hayes on ‘Almaz’ Asham’, with John Anderson on ‘Area Access’ in second place, followed by Karina McVeigh on ‘Coco’ in third.

Hannah Catterall presented the Hussar Pleasure Trophy to Emma Hayes and ‘Almaz’ Asham’ at the ILDRA AGM and awards night.

The Richard York Memorial Trophy for veteran pleasure riders was won by John Anderson on ‘Area Access’, with Charlotte Moore on ‘Tully’s Valley’ taking second place, followed by Ruth Lyness on ‘Autumn Whisper’ in third.

Congratulations go to all horses and riders winning awards for the 2024 season.

ILDRA’s approach to endurance incorporates the Shamrock Awards, a safe way for horses and riders to gain the knowledge, fitness and skills to progress through the various distances of endurance.

Horses and riders complete a Shamrock Qualifier and Final Ride of set distances under specific time and speed requirements, as well as passing a pre- and post-ride vet check, taking into considering the gait, heart rate and other metabolic parameters (the horse that is - some riders may not want to disclose their heart rates!). ILDRA has five Shamrock Awards Levels of Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond, with different distances applicable to each.

Congratulations go to all of the riders and horses, who achieved their Shamrock Awards in 2024, including Bree Rutledge on ‘Clovermount Rhinestone’ gaining their Silver Shamrock, Keri Black on ‘Pascal’ achieving their Bronze Shamrock, and ‘Puzzle Piece’ achieving his Silver Shamrock with experienced endurance rider Roseanna Andrew.

Keri Black and her horse ‘Pascal’ both achieved their Bronze Shamrock and received their rosettes from Hannah Catterall.

Progressing through the Shamrock Awards also gives riders the opportunity to win specific classes of endurance trophies, as well as the chance to compete in the Home Internationals and Celtic Challenge on the Ireland team against England, Scotland and Wales, hosted throughout the four nations annually.

ILDRA’s ride aren’t just about endurance, they offer safe off-road riding in some of the most stunning forest parks and privately-owned estates in Northern Ireland, if you enjoy hacking out on your horse, then ILDRA’s rides are for you - it isn’t just for those aiming to complete long endurance rides of endless miles. Riding with ILDRA can be your own competition, seeing how far you can ride, as well as enjoying time with your horse, ILDRA offers all members the opportunity to get a log book for your horse to record your mileage in.

As you build these miles up, there is cumulative distance awards available for both pleasure and competitive mileage, starting at 50 miles and 100 miles and gradually increasing from here. A number of mileage awards were also handed out at the awards night to both horses and riders, with mileage totalled up for both Pleasure Rides (PR) and Competitive Trail Rides (CTR).

A very notable cumulative mileage award for CTR distances was presented to Helen McFarland for the completion of over 14,000 miles! This spectacular amount of miles has been built up over several years of endurance by Helen, competing across Ireland and further afield over several horses, all of which have shown tremendous aptitude and willingness to dominate in the sport of endurance. Congratulations go to Helen and all of her horses (and her wider crew for their unwavering support and commitment to endurance and all its associated activities) for the achievement of this.

Hannah Catterall presented Helen McFarland with her cumulative mileage rosette for completing 14,000 miles in Competitive Trail Rides.

As we are all aware, Storm Éowyn battered Northern Ireland on January 24 and has left a trail of devastation in its wake. Extensive storm damage has occurred to several of ILDRA’s venues, which has unfortunately led to the cancellation of some rides so far in 2025, due to the ongoing clear-up following the storm.

Keep a close eye on ILDRA’s Facebook page and website for details of their upcoming events, and please note that all ride entries must be made in advance via ILDRA’s website.

ILDRA Awards 2025

Shamrock Awards

Bronze Shamrock:

Keri Black, Pascal.

Silver Shamrock:

Bree Rutledge, Clovermount Rhinestone.

Puzzle Piece.

Mileage Awards

CTR Mileage Awards:

Helen McFarland 14,000 miles

Susan Hunter 500 miles and Colour Cascade 500 miles

PR Mileage Awards:

Emma Hayes 1,500 miles

Susan Hunter 200 and 300 miles

Almaz’ Asham 200 and 300 miles

Colour Cascade 200 miles

Area Access 300 miles

Coco 300 miles

Trophies

Open Championship:

1) Helen McFarland, Chalima de Gueyta.

Intermediate Championship:

1) Roseanna Andrews, Puzzle Piece; 2) Susan Hunter, Colour Cascade; 3) Bree Rutledge, Clovermount Rhinestone.

York Trophy:

1) Keri Black, Pascal.

Veteran’s Trophy:

1) Helen McFarland, Chalima de Gueyte; 2) Helen McFarland, She Stoops to Conquer.

Northern Region Trophy:

1) Colour Cascade; 2) Clovermount Rhinestone; 3) Pascal.

Enterprise Trophy:

1) Colour Cascade; 2) Clovermount Rhinestone; 3) Chalima de Gueyte.

Bint Eastern Zapphire Trophy:

1) Chalima de Gueyte.

Gemini Trophy:

1) She Stoops to Conquer; 2) Colour Cascade.

Fairview Gypsy Gold Trophy:

1) Colour Cascade; 2) Tully’s Valley; 3) Yasser Arafat.

Hussar Pleasure Trophy:

1) Emma Hayes, Almaz’ Asham; 2) John Anderson, Area Access; 3) Karina McVeigh, Coco.

Richard York Memorial Trophy:

1) John Anderson, Area Access; 2) Charlotte Moore, Tully’s Valley; 3) Ruth Lyness, Autumn Whisper.

Top Man:

1) John Anderson; 2) William Morcombe.

Family Trophy:

1) Sarah and William Morcombe.