With thanks to all our equine friends...
Local equestrian activities have been busy, but would not be possible without the many organisers, volunteers and, of course, our horses and ponies!
Hi everyone,
It was another busy weekend of equestrian activities and I hope you had the chance to enjoy some quality time with your equines, as there were many competitions to choose from and, for the mostpart, the weather was on our side!
I, for one, got to spend more time than usual with my equine friend… Jewel and I did a 40-mile ILDRA endurance ride within the permitted time and passed the vet checks to achieve the final part of our Silver Shamrock Award! I mention this as I would like to take the opportunity to thank my riding companions for the first half and my crew, as well as the vet, the ride organisers and volunteers for making these rides possible. Now debating whether we should aim bigger…!
Before I go any further, I must mention a couple of events that are happening this weekend… Antrim Show is taking place at Shane’s Castle Estate, outside Antrim on Saturday (horse and pony entries are still open!), while an Olympic Fun Day is being held at Danescroft Equestrian Centre near Lisburn on Sunday - for more information, click on the links below:
Antrim Show: a great day out for all the family
If you are looking for a great value and fun-packed day out for all the family this summer, then look no further than Antrim Show, which is being held on Saturday next, July 27th in the wonderful setting of Shane’s Castle Estate, just outside Antrim, by kind permission of the O’Neill family. The show is organised each year by Antrim Agricultural Society…
Olympic Fun Day at Danescroft Equestrian
This coming Sunday, July 28 will see an Olympic Fun Day being held at Danescroft Equestrian Centre, Lisburn from 9.30am until 4pm.
This Horse&Field newsletter brings you reports, results and pictures from local competitions over the past week, including week one of the show jumping league at Lusk’s; the annual Summer Fayre and Gymkhana at Gransha; the second of the Northern Region events at Tullymurry; dressage at Hagans Croft; Strule Valley Riding Club cross-country training at Ash Hollow, as well as the club’s show jumping league at Ecclesville. Beyond this coming weekend, there are some exciting events ahead, including the Pony Club Senior International Tetrathlon at Necarne and a Pre-Dublin Show being held by Northern Lights NI Riding Club - click on the stories below for more details:
Lucky with the weather at Lusk's
Week one of Lusk Equestrian’s Show jumping League commenced on Sunday, July 21. The course was set for the 60cm class, which has become a feature of Lusk’s shows and it is wonderful to see new faces to the sport, who will no doubt progress through the weeks.
Electric atmosphere at Gransha Equestrian Centre
Saturday, July 20 saw the annual Summer Fayre and Gymkhana take place at Gransha Equestrian Centre near Bangor. It really was a day out for the whole family, those with four legs too! Hello and welcome to Ho…
Great talent on display at Tullymurry
On Saturday, the curtain came down on the second of the Northern Region’s back to back events at the amazing venue of Tullymurry. Sadly, the weather didn’t work in everyone’s favour for the first half of the day, but the sun did reappear mid-afternoon.
Tight scoring at Hagans Croft Dressage
Saturday, July 20 saw the midway point of the Hagans Croft Equestrian Dressage League, where competitors walked or trotted down the centre line to a selection of Pony Club and British Eventing tests. Two joint first place rosettes were given out to two competitors within the Intro test. Lola Hunter and Megan McCully both received a total percentage of 6…
Ash Hollow welcomes Strule Valley club
Strule Valley Riding Club members enjoyed a cross-country training session on Sunday morning with CAFRE-based Chris Bogues at the fabulous Ash Hollow Equestrian in Co Tyrone, which is looking forward to hosting Eventing Ireland next month.
Strule Valley league final approaches
Strule Valley Riding Club held the penultimate night of their Annual Summer Show jumping League at Ecclesville, Fintona on Wednesday, July 17 - a more pleasant night than the previous leg! The final takes place next Wednesday, July 24, commencing at 7pm with the 60cm, followed by 70cm, 80cm, 90cm and 1 metre open.
Looking ahead:
Pony Club Senior International Tetrathlon to take place at Castle Irvine
Fermanagh is gearing up to host a prestigious international multiphase sports event featuring 150 athletes from the UK, Ireland, USA, Australia and New Zealand in early August. The Pony Club Senior International Tetrathlon 2024 will take place at Castle Irvine (Necarne) in County Fermanagh from August 2 to 4 and everyone’s invited to join in the fun. Mem…
Showing Season update from Northern Lights club
The Northern Lights NI Riding Club has been busy as ever holding various activities for members and others that are open to the public. Show jumping training shows have been a great opportunity for getting novice riders and young horses out, building their confidence as each week passes.
Northern Ireland Horse Board announces admin support for NI Breeders
The Northern Ireland Horse Board (NIHB) is pleased to announce that their services are now going mobile with their new administration support service. ‘Hoof It’, will provide specialised administrative solutions tailored to the needs of equestrians across Northern Ireland.
In case you missed it, in the latest Straight from the Horse’s Mouth podcast I had a very entertaining conversation with riding instructor and coach, Wayne Hamilton, who is based in Castlewellan, Co. Down. This one’s definitely worth a listen - just click below:
And in local environmental 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 800 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!
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. Whether you're a rider, a spectator or simply a fan of these majestic creatures, knowing the key dates in the equestrian calendar is essential for planning your year of equestri…
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