Field write up !

Posted by admin in Sep, 2016

Last Sunday’s horse and pony show at Jordanstown marked the end of the riding club season at Jordanstown

Margie McLoone

THE curtain has come down on Cheval Riding Club’s show season with the grounds at Jordanstown now reverting to the sole use of members.

In addition to the Riding Club competitions and clinics, which took place at the north Co Dublin venue since the start of the year, the club staged mini, midi and maxi classes on Wednesday evenings, hosted the popular SOCKS fund-raising team jumping challenge at the end of July and, last Sunday, ran its very popular horse and pony show.

Many young, and not so young, riders look forward to this end-of-summer show and on Sunday, with help from her friends, one visually impaired young lady jumped in the 60cms competition; she was extremely happy with her day.

Judging in the main jumping arena, where her cousin Laura was course builder, was Maria Carrick and the club took the opportunity to present her and fiancé Declan Donnelly with a gift to mark their wedding in Florida next weekend.

Also assisting in the same ring was Ronan O’Dwyer. Married to Cheval member Claire, Ronan, who has hunted, show jumped, ridden in races and point-to-points, is due to make his Eventing Ireland debut tomorrow at Ballinamona. Captain Geoff Curran, who competed at the Millstreet International Horse Trials over the preceeding few days, attended the show with his children.

Locally-based Sandra Hannigan, a longtime member of Cheval, judged the three lead rein classes. Sandra has been enjoying the in-hand showing season, travelling the country with husband Eddie and their two-year-old Irish Draught filly, Yukon Pearl.

There were so many children at the show, all potential future members of Cheval, that the organisers set up a ‘creche’, aka a hook-a-duck and colouring station which proved very popular and kept the smaller children away from the warm-up rings.

Under the chairmanship of Angela Day, Cheval members have rallied around to help run events this year and those who answer every call have to be thanked for their efforts. So too do the many sponsors who supported the club throughout the year.