A show with a difference! Donegal Gaeltacht Riding Club – Beach Show 1st August 2010

By Orla O’Reilly.

If there is a magic formula which results in good weather for shows the Donegal Gaeltacht Club have certainly perfected it.  Balliness Bay was transformed to include show jumping, dressage and showing arenas.  The showing element was a new departure for the club and the success of the ring was largely down to judge Kevin McGuinness  shared his wealth of knowledge to ensure competitors can continue to improve on their performance in the ring.  The Introduction to Showing class was invaluable for those who might otherwise stand at the sidelines trying to figure out the procedures and etiquette of the show ring.  The championship class reflected the range of horses who compete in riding club events with Supreme Champion awarded to Dawn Hyndman (Donegal Gaeltacht) with Rons Academy and Reserve Champion Breeda Perrin (Benbulben) with Erronagh Sky. 

 Dressage judge Anthea Rainsbury provided a lot of feedback and advice to competitors while Jacqueline Maudlin, show jumping judge kept competitors on the straight and narrow with her usual warm and encouraging judging style.  The host club would like to express a huge thanks to the three judges who were very accommodating in waiting for competitors to complete other classes.  Also to all who travelled from the rest of Donegal, Sligo, Westmeath, Galway, Clare, Wicklow and Dublin. The team of organisers Donegal Gaeltacht members Roisin, Heather, Shane, Rosaleen, Sharon, Julia, Laura, Neil, Anne, Seamus, the McCrossan family and all the other volunteers who made the show possible.

Donegal Gaeltacht Riding Club – Beach Show 1st August 2010

Western Region Show Jumping League

 Primary

1st Niamh Macken, Captain Smirnoff (Ballinasloe),
2nd Ryan McBride, Cyd (Donegal Gaeltacht),
3rd Orla O’Reill, Omard Miss Molly (Letterkenny)
 4th Anne Harkin, King (Donegal Gaeltacht
5th Jayne Robinson, Algan Nipper (Tirconaill),
6th Anne Harkin, Banshee Lady (Donegal Gaeltacht)

Advanced Primary

1st Ruth McCrossan, Sioux Indian (Donegal Gaeltacht),
2nd Sinead Fenton, Zippedy Do Dah (Bridge),
3rd Dermot Goode, Elvis (Dalysgrove),
4th Lawrence Smyth, Jennys Jigsaw (Donegal Gaeltacht),
 5th Eimear MacAllister, Hes a Dandy (Bel Air),
6th Ruth McCrossan, Cut the Cuteness(Donegal Gaeltacht)

Intermediate

1st Finola Murphy, Jessie Kildalton Delight (Benbulben),
 2nd Shane McCole, Western Log (Donegal Gaeltacht),
3rd Conor Gallagher, Baby Bailey (Donegal Gaeltacht),
4th Dawn Hyndman, Precious Highlights (Donegal Gaeltacht),
5th Ollie Kyne, Drizzley Wizzley Raindrop (Ballinasloe),
6th Mona Vial, Roddy (Tirconaill)

Advanced Intermediate

1st  Ronnie Wilson, Annaroo Flight (Donegal Gaeltacht),
2nd Bruce Vial, Bling (Donegal Gaeltacht),
3rd Serena Finnerty, Fountain Sissco (Castle Carraig),
4th Thomas Daniels, Brogue Shelly (Tynagh),
5th Ruth Stack, Tyler Hill (Tirconaill)

Open

1st Patricia Warren, Colourado Kid (Donegal Gaeltacht),
2nd Patricia Warren, Hes a Dandy (Donegal Gaeltacht),
3rd Breeda Perrin, Eroonagh Sky, (Benbulben)

Welcome Stakes

1st  Cyril Higgins, Woodview Lady (Letterkenny),
2nd Martine Boyle, Smuggler (Letterkenny),
3rd Leah McNulty, Juno (Benbulben).

Western Region Dressage League

Primary

1st Martina Boyle, Smuggler (Letterkenny),
2nd Aoife Sharkey, Bushfield Lady (Donegal Gaeltacht),
3^rd Jayne Robinson, Algan Nipper (Tirconaill),
4th Sharon Conaghan, Barney (Donegal Gaeltacht),
5th Cyril Higgins, Woodview Lady (Letterkenny)

Advanced Primary

1st Niamh Macken, Captain Smirnoff (Ballinasloe),
2nd Sinead Fenton, Cotterstown Levi (Bridge)
 3rd Anne Harkin, Banshee Lady (Donegal Gaeltacht),
4th Finola Murphy, Jessie Kildalton Delight (Benbulben),
5th Anne Harkin, King (Donegal Gaeltacht),
6th Orla O’Reilly, Omard Miss Molly (Letterkenny)

 Intermediate

1st Ruth McCrossan, Cut the Cuteness (Donegal Gaeltacht),
2nd Katarina Synnott, Gurraun Baraka (Castle Carraig)
3rd Tanya Jacob, My Pal Al (Letterkenny),
4th Rachael McCrossan, Batteries Not Included (Donegal Gaeltacht),
5th Conor Gallagher, Baby Bailey (Donegal Gaeltacht),
6th Charlie Vial Ballygarriff Badger, (Tirconaill)

Advanced Intermediate

1st Bruce Vial, Bling (Donegal Gaeltacht),
2nd Jane Whitaker, Captain Smirnoff (Copperfield)
3rd Ruth Stack, Tyler Hill (Tirconaill),
4th Bruce Vial, Stoner (Donegal Gaeltacht),
5th Breeda Perrin, Eroonagh Sky (Benbulben)

Showing

Introduction to Showing

1st , Charlie Vial, Ballygarriff Badger (Tirconaill),
2nd Martina Boyle, Smuggler (Letterkenny),
3rd  Ruth McCrossan, Cut the Cuteness (Donegal Gaeltacht),
4th Mona Vial, Roddy (Tirconaill),
5th Gavin Keenan, Ardeen Waltzer (Benbulben)
6th Catherine Higgins, Woodview Lady (Letterkenny)

Connemara

1st Finola Murphy, Jessie Kildalton Delight (Benbulben),
2nd Bruce Vial, Stoner (Donegal Gaeltacht)
3rd Gavin Keenan, Ardeen Waltzer (Benbulben)

Coloured Horse

1st  Tanya Jacob, Jack (Letterkenny), 
2nd Patricia Warren, Colourado Kid (Donegal Gaeltacht),
3rd Charlie Vial, Ballygarriff Badger (Tirconaill)
4th Serena Finnerty, Fountain Sisco (Castle Carraig),
5th Martina Boyle, Smuggler (Letterkenny)
6th Catherine Higgins, Woodview Lady (Letterkenny)

Niamh Macken winners of the Primary Show Jumping, Advanced Primary Dressage and Small Hunter showing (Photo copyright: Serena Finnerty)

Small Riding Horse / Small Hunter

1st  Niamh Macken, Captain Smirnoff (Ballinasloe)
2nd Orla O’Reilly, Omard Miss Molly (Letterkenny)
3rd Sinead Fenton, Cotterstown Levi (Bridge)
4th Aoife Sharkey, Bushfield Lady (Donegal Gaeltacht).
5th Roisin McGee, Solomons Reign (Donegal Gaeltacht),

Light Weight Hunter

1st  Breeda Perrin, Eroonagh Sky (Benbulben)
2nd Orla O’Reilly, Omard Miss Molly (Letterkenny),
3rd Finola Murphy, Jessie Kildalton Delight,(Benbulben)
4th, Catherine Higgins, McCaffrey Connaught (Letterkenny),
5th Dermot Goode, Elvis (Dalysgrove)

Medium & Heavy Weight Hunter

1st Rachael McCrossan, Batteries Not Included (Donegal Gaeltacht)
2nd Katarina Synnott, Gurraun Baraka (Castle Carraig),
3rd Charlie Vial, Ballygarriff Badger (Tirconaill)
4th Serena Finnerty, Fountain Sisco (Castle Carraig)
5th Ruth Stack, Tyler Hill (Tirconaill).
6th Ollie Kyne, Drizzley Wizzley Raindrop (Ballinasloe)

Large Riding Horse & Ex-Racehorse

1st  Katarina Synnott, Gurraun Baraka (Castle Carraig),
2nd Serena Finnerty, Fountain Sisco (Castle Carraig),
3rd Charlie Vial, Ballygarriff Badger (Tirconaill),

Cob

1st  Dawn Hyndman, Rons Academy (Donegal Gaeltacht),
2nd Mona Vial, Roddy (Tirconaill),
3rd Martina Boyle, Smuggler (Letterkenny),
4th Jayne Robinson, Algan Nipper (Tirconaill)

Traditional Irish Cob

1st Sharon Conaghan, Barney (Donegal Gaeltacht)

Showing Championship

Supreme Champion; Dawn Hyndman, Rons Academy (Donegal Gaeltacht)

Reserve Champion; Breeda Perrin, Eroonagh Sky (Benbulben)