The national eventing season starts on Sunday at Ballindenisk, Co Cork and continues most weekends until early October.
Seven international events will be staged in Ireland during that period, the majority of them in Munster. The Fell family will host internationals at their Ballindenisk farm in both April and September while, opposite Fairyhouse racecourse in Co Meath, the Tattersalls international horse trials (May 31st to June 4th) will feature the Irish leg of the FEI Nations’ Cup series.
At the end of June and into the first few days of July, there will be an international at Kilguilkey House near Mallow and one at the end of July at Camphire, Co Waterford. The Duggan family will welcome the international eventing community to Millstreet twice during the summer months, in July for the junior and young riders’ European championships and in August for their regular international. The senior European championships are being held in Strzegom, Poland in August.
In Wellington, Florida, Irish show jumping riders have made a good start to week 10 of the Winter Equestrian Festival which is being sponsored by Dundalk firm Horseware International. On Wednesday, Co Offaly’s Darragh Kenny won the first three-star class of the week on his new mount Gasper van den Doorn while, on St Patrick’s Day, Irish riders filled three of the top six placings in the 1.45m speed class won by Co Kilkenny’s Richie Moloney with the Irish Sport Horse gelding Slieveanora.
At home on Friday, John Floody won the latest leg of the Connolly’s Red Mills/Showjumpers Club spring tour with Eileen Duggan’s Bronson de Reve. There were 22 starters in the class at the Broadmeadows Equestrian Centre near Ashbourne, Co Meath of whom seven progressed to the jump-off round.
