Equine show season proper now underway
Show jumping and dressage now accompanied by showing and Working Hunter on grass
Hi everyone,
There has been a bit of a drop in the temperature, but thankfully there has been a bit less rain lately! I do still live in hope that we will have a really nice summer after the monsoons we endured, but at least Balmoral Show got some dry and bright weather… Hopefully, that will be a good omen for the show season ahead!
With so many classes to cover, please find the first instalment of Balmoral results, covering the showing and Working Hunter side of things, along with a special report on the Connemara classes. Please be aware that the show jumping results will follow.
This Horse&Field newsletter brings you reports, results and pictures from recent local competitions, as well as a bit of local news that may be of interest.
Balmoral Show attracts high quality entry
After the copious amounts of rain that have fallen this spring, it was quite incredible that the weather held so well for the four days of Balmoral Show. Competitors travelled from all over to take part in the wide variety of classes, with most having a healthy entry - in fact some were over-subscribed.
High demand for Connemara classes at Balmoral
Once again, the Connemara pony section at the Balmoral Show provided the much-anticipated spectacle for which it has become synonymous with, especially since the move to Balmoral Park. This move has enabled a substantial increase in entry numbers - however, the class demands are still unfortunately exceeding supply.
Glorious sunshine for NI Riding Clubs Show jumping Championships
Northern Ireland Riding Clubs held their Show jumping Championships on Sunday, May 12. Members from all over Northern Ireland travelled to Knockagh View Equestrian Centre, Greenisland to take part. There was glorious sunshine all day and everyone had a great day.
Helen shines for Strule Valley at NIRC Show Jumping Championships
Strule Valley Riding Club member Helen Badger and ‘Gamble on Cruise’ competed at the recent Northern Ireland Riding Clubs’ (NIRC) Outdoor Show jumping Championships at Knockagh View Equestrian Centre, Greenisland, in the 85cm and 95cm senior individual classes.
Sun shines on start of Laurel View League
On Sunday, May 12, it really felt that Summer had arrived just in time for the first leg of the Laurel View Summer 2024 Dressage League, a very welcome addition indeed. Competitors shone in the sunlight to impress judges Martina McKinley and Ivor Harper.
Show jumping at The Meadows
The Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan was a hive of activity on Saturday, May 18, as they hosted SJI Horse and Pony classes, alongside their Cash Back Unregistered show jumping classes. Hello and welcome to Horse&Field. Our aim is to support…
And in local news:
More details on these and more are available by clicking on the stories or visiting Horse&Field and having a scroll through - there are now over 650 articles to choose from, with a search facility to find what you wish to read!
The Horse&Field calendar lists local equine activities and is updated on a daily basis. We are trying to make the calendar as comprehensive as possible and it currently lists shows and events right up until the end of the year, so if you know of any events that aren’t yet listed, please let us know!
To new subscribers, welcome! You will receive this newsletter twice each week, as well as occasional emails in between - we want to keep you informed, but do not want to overload your inbox!
Please remember that Horse&Field will be updated on a regular basis and you can visit it at any time to find out what is happening. If you wish, you can download the Substack app; you can search online for: horseandfield.substack.com or, if you are subscribed, just click on the email.
If you have any articles or photos to contribute, queries or suggestions, or if there is someone you think deserves to be featured in Horse&Field, please do send an email to horseandfield@gmail.com
Thanks for reading!