Making A Show Of Ourselves

It's mid April and it has been another busy week at Dunbyrne. On Friday the 13th our team took part in a local table quiz held in aid of My Lovely Horse Rescue. Our team, the DBS Bar Flies (Stine, Tori, Miia and Lorna) came second. We had sponsored some prizes for the raffle in aid of this good cause so two lucky raffle winners won a voucher for a private lesson with Ross and Lorna. 

On Saturday a group of our DBS Tail Blazers enjoyed pony club cross country training at The Field Equestrian in Ballyadams. Zara, Hannah, Mia, Sinead and Molly took part with Lorna instructing and had great fun tackling the water fences, steps and combinations. 

On Sunday Dunbyrne Riding Club held our leg of the West Leinster Region Linda Moore Showjumping League. Our own members did us proud on home turf. Michelle Davitt and Zono won the primary class - their second win in a row in the league. Tori Cummins Kennedy then won the advanced primary class. Lorna and Sammy competed in the advanced intermediate class with just four faults. Well done to all the winners on the day - Michelle Davitt (Primary), Tori Cummins Kennedy (advanced primary), Gay Parkinson (Sportsmans) , Audrey O'Dwyer (Intermediate), Grainne Alexander (Advanced Intermediate), Caoimhe Delaney (Open). We ran a coffee shop on the day to raise money for the Irish Horse Welfare Trust

Laura Kavanagh headed off hunter trialling with Bobby yesterday while Hannah Groves travelled to the Interschools at Mullingar with Brogan competing on a team who earned sixth place in the final. 

Orla and Aoife Harrington were at Killossery yesterday for the Dressage ireland league final in the Leinster region. Aoife and Cosmic placed second in both classes to take second overall in the league in both the Preliminary and Novice categories. Orla placed third in the league on the elementary class. 

Interschooling Around

We are always delighted to see the variety of activities that our clients take part in across different disciplines. A group of our young riders have been taking part in the Equestrian Interschools showjumping league which runs throughout Ireland from Autumn to May.

Aoife Harrington, Lola Gabor Sweeney and Laura Kavanagh are three talented teenage riders who are stabled at Dunbyrne Equestrian and who attend Newbridge college and  compete for the school in team and individual competitions. The girls and their parents have travelled far and wide to compete at various venues throughout the country. 

Laura competes with her bay gelding Bobby who she became the owner of last year. The pair have gone from strength to strength and have become a really consistent team. Lola Gabor Sweeney competed up to recently with her pony Miss Gort who she unfortunately outgrew. Lola's new mount is a bigger horse, a bay gelding called Murphy. Lola has been getting to grips with her new horse and has made a quick and smooth transition already competing successfully with him just a few weeks into ownership. Aoife Harrington, a keen dressage rider is enjoying her first season at Interschools with her grey pony Milkyway (Cosmic). The pair had a very successful outing recently where they completed four clear rounds in one day. 

The girls have been consistent performers so far in the season achieving several team and individual placings. This weekend Lola and Aoife competed together on a team of just three instead of four riders at Wexford equestrian centre. This was also Lola's first competition on board Murphy. With a new partnership and a small team the group performed really well taking sixth place. 

We wish Laura, Lola and Aoife the very best of luck as they continue to represent their schools and Dunbyrne Equestrian in the Interschools League.