What's on???????

 What’s on in the North West!

Saturday Mornings see Kerins Equestrian Centre, Tubberbride, Collooney County Sligo, shows start up again on 8 February 2014 starting at 10am with 70cms, 80cms, 90cm, 1m, 1.10m, 1.20m and 1.30cm with ponies to start at aprox 3.30pm.  On February 16th, we will be holding the a leg of the National Pony Spring Tour, if anybody requires stabling for the event, or any other information please contact Richard Kerins on 0866043193.  Kerins have recently revamped their indoor arena with a mixture of sand and fibre and a new set of kicking boards. Their main outdoor ring has also been upgraded with a new surface of the same sand and fibre mix. For information about what's happening at Tubberbride Stables including private and group lessons check out our Facebook page or contact Richard on 0866043193

Ard Chuain Equestrian Centre (Reapes) Knockbrack, Corballa, County Sligo Shows start 26 January and will start indoors, moving outdoors weather depending, classes start at 70cm.  They can be contacted on Facebook and on 0872495991 and 0876723527.

Coolcronan Equestrian Centre is based on the main Foxford to Ballina road in Co. Mayo.  Trish and David Dodd annually run their Hunter Trials on St Patricks Day and Easter Monday weather permitting.  They run classes from pre- novice to open and build courses that are aimed to encourage our riders to progress without over facing anybody. When they started there open was the smallest entry and now it would be nearly our biggest.  Contact numbers are Trish 0871513313 and David on 0868588253.

Keash Equestrian Centre, Ballymote County Sligo are holding a dressage show on 9^th February, the test are Para 1b Novice, Intro b, BD P 7, DI P 5, DI N 23, BD N 23, DI E 51.  Dressage Ireland tests (DI) on the Dressage Ireland webside, if you need any help to get the other tests contact me and I can help you out. Nina Reinbold 0863118301.  Entries are closing on the 6th of February!

Woodlands Equestrian Centre in Cloonacool, County Sligo, is running a dressage league starting in April and can be contacted on 0876793696.  If you want to prepare for the up and coming season please contact Simone for a private one to one or a group lesson, on your own horse or a school horse.

Glenamaddy Equestrian Centre, Glenamaddy are holding a combined training show on the 22 of February and can be contacted on 0857260423

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Out and about in the west

Pullaheany Hunt, St Stevens’s day

After a very merry Christmas everyone was ready for The St Stevens day hunt in Pullaheany, Inishcrone!  Luckily weather was on our side and the rain stayed away, at least while we were riding.  Brendon Dolan and his beautiful fiancé Deirdre McDonald bought the hounds along and led 140 hunt members and followers around the town .  I was riding a four year old cob pony, Kelly, my 12 year old daughter, rode 13h Snowball, and Glyn, my mother, was riding her old favourite boy Rocky!  Parading around the town was great fun and we really got in the spirit of things with hot whiskeys being handed out along the way!  We made our way along the road out towards the pub in Pullaheany, where loads of walls were waiting for us, the first couple of jumps was in a field!  Lots of walls a bit of beach riding plenty of water and rivers and more walls, back to the pub for more hot wiskys and burger and chips!  And everyone made it back in time before the rain kicked in!

Bunniconlon Hunt, New Years Day

Again the three of us set out and again the weather blessed us it was cold day, with rain on the way!   We joined the other 150 members, and the hounds led the way and made plenty of noise.  At first I was towards the rear of the hunt having a giggle with a couple of girls Tara Timlin, Charlotte Walsh, Maria Brown and Sabina Linka.  At first I didn’t want to jump the first couple of fences but the wee cob took me over with ease and after we stopped at Barrett’s Pub for hot ones there was no stopping me!  The hunt had organised a field of jumps to go around and a trail up near the gap where we jumped a string of jumps, nothing too big or scary but plenty of them.  We were just of the road and I bet we looked great from the road!  There was plenty of steam and the craic was mighty!  When we got back to Barrett’s there was plenty of food and drink going around and I’m sure some of the older men were calling wife’s to collect them later in the evening!

Dromore West, 12 January 2014

Building up to this hunt we was concerned that the hunt would go ahead, but the morning came and it was a wet one!  So dressed in waterproofs I braved the elements!  I love this hunt, it’s one of them hunts that’s as close to a real hunt as you can get with out it being one, you do things you wouldn’t normally do, the bogs and water and mud is so much more than you’d ever do at home.  It’s safe to say that if a horse has done Dromore west it will have no bother with water at any cross country any where in any country!  Just over 50 members joined in and most of them were kids.  I got to say they are a hardy lot, leading the way over jumps and galloping down the bog lanes, which are like rivers!  Great fun!  We went into the Flying Horse for the refreshments and those that stayed were treated to a feast!  And believe me it was needed!

Sligo Hunt Pony, 6, 12 and 19 January 2014

Pony club instructor Penny brought the keen riders back to the beginning and has them riding on long reins and using their seats and getting their ponies and horses stretching.  The children found this great and really enjoyed the lessons, the children all love to learn new things and Penny has a great way of teaching.  Rallies continue every Sunday catering for all level of rider including beginners, improvers and advanced. Concentration on flat work for the first couple of weeks.  Swimming training continues on Fridays for those interested in minimus or tetathalon competitions. It is important to indicate your interest in these team competitions. Shooting, running training will be organised for team members.  Please contact Pony Club Secretary on 0877601064

Sligo Hunt Pony Club show

Sligo Hunt Pony Club show

Sunday 15 December was local Pony Club Interclub show held at Kerins, Tubberbride, County Sligo, luckily it was indoors and therefore wasn’t cancelled.  Kids from Sligo, Leitrim, and Donegal descended onto the equestrian centre, jumping all jumps from cross poles, 50/60cm, 80/90 classes following with a team competition, everyone got rosettes and prizes, and won great prizes on the raffle!  It was a great day and all the kids were happy.  Congratulations to the Kerins family on the new surface on the arena, very nice.  Contact Joy for further info on joining the Pony club and what’s coming up 0877601064

Does it always rain in Moygownagh?

Does it always rain in Moygownagh?

On Sunday the 8^th December the North Mayo Harriers set out on their annual meet.  There was a great turn out from across the ages, with little ones on ponies and old ones on big horses, and all experiences trotting along side each other in the drizzly rain!  I was riding a young 14.2 pony, I had just sat on and was given a tremendous ride, and it was a much more sedate affair after last weeks hunt around Aclare, Toulestrane and Banada.  We trotted along the Owenmore river, and the first set of jumps were all nice and natural and although I was near the rear not all the jumps were demolished, as the followers on foot were at hand to replace poles, logs and barrels.  My little mount took to them by storm and gave me great confidence to take them on without taking off, and I felt assured of a good days hunt! We did a short bit or road work along the bogs and lanes, and even though it was a dreary day you could see for miles.  A short while along the road and down another string of jumps we arrived at Glenmore House where we were served mulled wine, hot chocolate, mince pies, variety of cakes, sweets crisps and some of the older folks even got brandy.  Chairman Brian Tuffy led the thanks and praises to everyone in the house and happy birthdays to hunt members Cian Garrett and glamorous granny Glyn Morgan. 

What followed was a string of fences suitable for all levels and anything that was big – you could go round, it was brilliant, when we got to the other end everyone was talking about the string of fences, the question on everyone’s lips was ‘Did you jump the big one?’ it was big enough and I wasn’t brave enough to give it a go myself but most of the kids did! We went up and over them again and back down to the start, it wasn’t a long hunt but it’s a good one!

After untacking and loading horses into the boxes we descended onto Moygownagh Community Centre.  Where we were treated to a fine feast!  Where the ladies of the town fed over a hundred riders and followers!  The soup and sandwiches was delicious and much needed.  Hunt members put there hands in their pockets to support a raffle and everyone had a great time!  Once again thank you Moygownagh! Next Hunt is Sunday 22^nd December at the Quays in Ballina and then St Stevens day Pullaheaney, then Boniconlon on New Years day! Contact Ita on 0876497046 for CAP information

Out and about

The North Mayo Harriers large turnout in Aclare

The first of December saw the North Mayo Harriers descend onto the small village on the edge of South Sligo.   The Timlins and Caroline and Kevin Walsh from Banada Stables hosted this hunt, and they were blessed with fabulously warm weather for the time of year and we set out round the bogs and lanes around the glorious country side.  The lanes had ample jumps, from logs on the floor to pallets and barrels we took a break after 2 hours at Caroline Walsh’s Banada Stables and then continued on for a further hour and half, a good long hunt.  Refreshments was held in Aclare at Flynn’s pub!  It was a good day for a ride and there were plenty of jumps suitable for all levels of riding.