Summer lovin'...? Show season gets under way for equine lovers
Equestrian news, reports, results and photos from local activities
Hi folks,
While eventers in the Northern Region are currently enjoying a little break, the summer show season is getting under way, with Ballymena Show being held this weekend, followed by Lurgan next weekend… More on that shortly! Show jumping is also in full flight, with some fantastic competitions being held at Portmore, The Meadows, Connell Hill and Hagans Croft over the past week or so. These shows highlight the amazing talent that surrounds us, in the shape of both horses and riders.
The Horse&Field calendar lists many of the local equine activities that are on offer in the coming weeks and months. One event that deserves a mention is Lurgan Show, which is taking place next Saturday, June 7 in the beautiful surroundings of Lurgan Park and has something for everyone:
Lurgan Show is fast approaching
Lurgan Park is the place to be on Saturday, June 7! This beautiful venue has always been one of the nicest settings in the Northern Ireland agricultural show calendar, and the Equestrian committee are delighted to once again welcome horses and ponies from across the north and south of Ireland to their 113th show!
This Horse&Field newsletter brings you the latest equine news, as well as reports, results and pictures from local competitions and events over the past week or so, including the SJI Horse Show at Portmore; the conclusion of the SJI Summer Series at The Meadows; the training show at Connell Hill; week three of Hagans Croft’s show jumping league; the Northern Region point-to-point awards at Downpatrick Racecourse; the SJI Horse Summer League at Connell Hill; the RDS qualifier at The Meadows. In local news, Hillmount have officially opened a new location at Carrick, while The Priory Singers are set to put on a concert at Parliament Buildings Stormont.
Treble triumph for Laura at Portmore
Portmore welcomed SJI competitors to the registered Horse Show at their Aghalee premises last Sunday, which saw classes offered from 80cm up to 1.30m.
Mini Grand Prix win for Ellie at The Meadows
The SJI Summer Series concluded at The Meadows Equestrian Centre in Lurgan on Saturday, May 24. There were rugs up for grabs for the winner of each class from 90cm up to the 1.30m Mini Grand Prix, which made for some highly competitive jumping!
Training Show proves very popular at Connell Hill
The Spring bank holiday weekend at Connell Hill Equestrian, Randalstown, jumped into action on Saturday, May 24 with a lovely group of cross-pole riders exhibiting great skill and confidence as they navigated their way around a course of coloured fences.
Show Jumping competition hots up at Hagans Croft
Saturday, May 24 saw the half-way point of Hagans Croft Equestrian's six-week show jumping league. The day started off with the cross-poles class, with all those competitors jumping the course of 12 fences with ease and with big smiles on their faces. Each of them received a colourful rosette for all their efforts.
Northern Region Point-to-Point Champions honoured at Downpatrick Racecourse
Despite a change in weather, spirits remained high at Downpatrick Racecourse for an exciting evening meeting on that celebrated the achievements of the Northern Region Point-to-Point season.
Lambourghini speeds to SJI success at Connell Hill
Connell Hill, Randalstown held another leg of their SJI Horse Summer League on Thursday, May 22, with some eye-catching horses in attendance for classes from 80cm up to 1.30m. A number of competitors jumped double clear in the 80cm, 90cm and 1m classes.
McEvoy on form at Meadows RDS qualifier
The Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan was a hive of activity on Tuesday, May 20, as it played host to an RDS Horse Qualifier, with classes for Four-Year-Olds, Five-Year-Olds, Six-Year-Olds and Seven and Eight-Year-Olds. Competitors travelled from all over the country to try and book their tickets for Dublin Horse Show in August and spectators were treat…
In local news:
New era for gardening enthusiasts as Hillmount Carrick officially opens
The Mercer family has proudly celebrated the official opening of its new location, Hillmount Carrick, as it expands its garden centre portfolio. Situated at Beltoy Road, the new centre marks a significant milestone in the Mercer family's fourth-generation gardening business, as it continues to blossom with the addition of this fifth site, extending thei…
The Priory Singers Present ‘Eyes on the Prize’
The Priory Singers present “Eyes on the Prize” – Folksongs, Spirituals and Jazz for a Summer Evening.
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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 spring, so if you know of any events that aren’t yet listed, please let us know by emailing: horseandfield@gmail.com!
Horse&Field Calendar
Calling all horse enthusiasts! As the seasons change, so does the equestrian calendar, filled with exciting events and competitions that bring the equestrian community together.
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